The Whole-Brain Child

June 13, 2011
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.

October 15, 2011
Siegel (Psychiatry/UCLA; Mindsight, 2010, etc.) and Bryson dissect the different sections of the brain and offer useful parental tools that can limit temper tantrums as well as ensure well-rounded development. The authors, both of Los Angeles' Mindsight Institute, reveal 12 "whole-brain" strategies the entire family should implement as part of a holistic approach to child development. They suggest that the more we know about how the human brain operates, the more we can do to control it in difficult times. Most readers are already aware, for example, that there is a "right brain" and a "left brain." But what about the "upstairs" and the "downstairs?" When we're at our best, all of these parts work together harmoniously. Tantrums and meltdowns occur when one part of the brain temporarily takes over, causing "dis-integration." To remedy this, the authors suggest 12 strategies designed to "re-integrate" the brain. These suggestions can also benefit adults who are prone to "dis-integration" as well. The authors include a fair amount of brain science, but they present it for both adult and child audiences. To facilitate a greater understanding of the process for the entire family, the authors summarize each strategy into comics form at the end of each chapter for easy comprehension. The appendix includes a handy reference guide that provides a quick refresher course when needed. Useful child-rearing resource for the entire family.

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