The Whole-Brain Child
12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind
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4.3 • 295 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • More than 1 million copies in print! • The authors of No-Drama Discipline and The Yes Brain explain the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures in this pioneering, practical book.
“Simple, smart, and effective solutions to your child’s struggles.”—Harvey Karp, M.D.
In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson offer a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children. The authors explain—and make accessible—the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures. The “upstairs brain,” which makes decisions and balances emotions, is under construction until the mid-twenties. And especially in young children, the right brain and its emotions tend to rule over the logic of the left brain. No wonder kids throw tantrums, fight, or sulk in silence. By applying these discoveries to everyday parenting, you can turn any outburst, argument, or fear into a chance to integrate your child’s brain and foster vital growth.
Complete with age-appropriate strategies for dealing with day-to-day struggles and illustrations that will help you explain these concepts to your child, The Whole-Brain Child shows you how to cultivate healthy emotional and intellectual development so that your children can lead balanced, meaningful, and connected lives.
“[A] useful child-rearing resource for the entire family . . . The authors include a fair amount of brain science, but they present it for both adult and child audiences.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Strategies for getting a youngster to chill out [with] compassion.”—The Washington Post
“This erudite, tender, and funny book is filled with fresh ideas based on the latest neuroscience research. I urge all parents who want kind, happy, and emotionally healthy kids to read The Whole-Brain Child. This is my new baby gift.”—Mary Pipher, Ph.D., author of Reviving Ophelia and The Shelter of Each Other
“Gives parents and teachers ideas to get all parts of a healthy child’s brain working together.”—Parent to Parent
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Neuropsychiatrist Siegel (Parenting from the Inside Out) teams up with psychotherapist Bryson in this brain guidebook for parents. The authors assert that parents can have a positive and important impact on helping kids develop brain skills. Siegel and Bryson clearly explain how the brain develops, pointing out specific examples of the brain at work in various situations (e.g., a four-year-old who melts down when left at preschool is working from her right brain; a 12-year-old who denies her emotions after a quarrel with a friend operates from the left brain). The authors offer 12 strategies parents can use to help their children integrate the various parts of the brain. For instance, a strategy called "Connect and Redirect" is used when a child is having a tantrum; it's best to connect with the right or emotional side of the brain, offering comfort, and later appeal to the left or logical brain when the child has calmed down (when a child is upset, logic often doesn't work). Siegel and Bryson reveal that an integrated brain with parts that cooperate in a coordinated and balanced manner creates a better understanding of self, stronger relationships, and success in school, among other benefits. With illustrations, charts, and even a handy "Refrigerator Sheet," the authors have made every effort to make brain science parent-friendly.
Customer Reviews
See AllThe Whole-Brain Child
I really appreciated how this book was grounded in science. Not only did the principles presented make sense, but they were based in fact and the author provided practical ways to implement the principles in daily life.
I recommend this book for any parent that wants to raise children with strong social and emotional intelligence. You won't feel overwhelmed by the content, rather you will feel like you can really implement and make good changes easily.
Havnt finished yet but…
So far it seems like this could be a helpful book! It helps you better understand your children and behaviors and how to navigate through tough times. It explains how the child’s brain works compared to an adult. I’ve personally used a couple things this book mentions with my children and I must say they’re pretty accurate. Will continue to read. I only give it 4 stars instead of 5 because it’s not a book that keeps your interest, just more of an informational book.
Finally
I have only listened to a podcast with Dan and dr drew and read bits of this book but I could have used this book when my son went through major anxiety at age 5. Now he is 10 and I hope to still try these exercises in some capacities as I think he has learned to simply suppress emotion which is not what I want him to do (having done this for years myself!) as I fear it will impact him later in life. I am so excited to finally have the ah ha moment of the body being so reactive to emotion as a child. He would cry and get upset at school and the counselor would skip straight to getting him to deal with his anxiety yet we could never get him to connect anything to the anxiety nor did he understand from his left brain about this emotion. It was like going to step 5 without steps 1-4. Needless to say, therapy never worked and he simply started having less anxiety as he got older. He has some now and excited to have some new tools to work with as we move into preteen years. Yikes! Thanks dr Siegel - let's get this stuff out there please!!! Not enough psychs get this and so important in kiddos!