The Whole-Brain Child：12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind, Survive Everyday Parenting Struggles, and Help Your Family Thrive

Yourtoddlerthrowsatantruminthemiddleofastore.Yourpreschoolerrefusestogetdressed.Yourfifth-gradersulksonthebenchinsteadofplayingonthefield.Dochildrenconspiretomaketheirparents’livesendlesslychallenging?No—it’sjusttheirdevelopingbraincallingtheshots!Inthispioneering,practicalbook,DanielJ.Siegel,neuropsychiatristandauthorofthebestsellingMindsight,andparentingexpertTinaPayneBrysondemystifythemeltdownsandaggravation,explainingthenewscienceofhowachild’sbrainiswiredandhowitmatures.The“upstairsbrain,”whichmakesdecisionsandbalancesemotions,isunderconstructionuntilthemid-twenties.Andespeciallyinyoungchildren,therightbrainanditsemotionstendtoruleoverthelogicoftheleftbrain.Nowonderkidscanseem—andfeel—sooutofcontrol.Byapplyingthesediscoveriestoeverydayparenting,youcanturnanyoutburst,argument,orfearintoachancetointegrateyourchild’sbrainandfostervitalgrowth.Raisecalmer,happierchildrenusingtwelvekeystrategies,including•NameIttoTameIt:Corralragingright-brainbehaviorthroughleft-brainstorytelling,appealingtotheleftbrain’saffinityforwordsandreasoningtocalmemotionalstormsandbodilytension.•Engage,Don’tEnrage:Keepyourchildthinkingandlistening,insteadofpurelyreacting.•MoveItorLoseIt:Usephysicalactivitiestoshiftyourchild’semotionalstate.•LettheCloudsofEmotionRollBy:Guideyourchildrenwhentheyarestuckonanegativeemotion,andhelpthemunderstandthatfeelingscomeandgo.•SIFT:HelpchildrenpayattentiontotheSensations,Images,Feelings,andThoughtswithinthemsothattheycanmakebetterdecisionsandbemoreflexible.•ConnectThroughConflict:Usediscordtoencourageempathyandgreatersocialsuccess.Completewithclearexplanations,age-appropriatestrategiesfordealingwithday-to-daystruggles,andillustrationsthatwillhelpyouexplaintheseconceptstoyourchild,TheWhole-BrainChildshowsyouhowtocultivatehealthyemotionalandintellectualdevelopmentsothatyourchildrencanleadbalanced,meaningful,andconnectedlives.,