One of the unique methods I use to support my clients is in the balance of research and mindfulness. If you’ve attended any of my Happy Hour sessions, I often begin my session geeking out on research and then move into mindful concepts that support conscious parenting. I think both are equally important and feel there is more overlap than difference regardless of whether you fall closer to the research side or the conscious side of the spectrum.
The Whole-Brain Child
So at first glance, The Whole-Brain Child, by Daniel J. Diegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, PH.D., appears to be all about brain research and how to develop an integrated brain in your child based on research. And that is true. However, I believe this research-based book on brain development also provides a beautiful bridge to the more mindful concepts like doing vs. being and attunement, and self-care.
There is no doubt that the practicality of this book is hard to beat. Written with a focus on children from birth through age twelve, the twelve chapters teach the reader to understand some basic principles about your child’s developing brain and skills and strategies to use in everyday moments to help them reach their potential and truly thrive. This” survive and thrive” approach takes pressure off the parent, knowing that the struggles of just getting through the day, along with some basic understanding of how the brain works, are enough to build the integration the brain seeks to develop healthy social, emotional, and mental health in your child.
How it helps your child
Each chapter is broken down into easy to implement sections to support integration of newly learned information. The “What You Can Do” section practices ideas and provides examples to help you immediately apply the concept. “Whole Brain Kids” is a section near the end of the chapter that is written to help teach your child the brain-based concept covered in the chapter. How cool is that!
How it helps you, the parent
At the end of the chapter is the “Integrating Ourselves” section, which happens to be my favorite. This section supports parent’s emotional health by supporting the implementation of the chapter’s concept into your own life and the relationships you have with others. As discussed, in my blog about self-care, when parents prioritize their own emotional health, the children reap the rewards and will mirror that health back to you.
How it helps families
And finally, The Whole-Brain Child even provides a handy “Ages and Stages” refrigerator cheat sheet that reminds families how to integrate your child’s brain in five important ways. This is truly a book that you can pick up any time, flip to any chapter, and get to work on building the skills and strategies to support brain-based emotional integration.
The intersection
I love to find the places where research and more spiritual practices intersect. The Whole-Brain Child uses research, concrete strategies, and self-integration to ground you so you can parent from a place of love (instead of fear). Although The Whole-Brain Child is rooted in research and practicality, the underlying gift of the book is to integrate these strategies ourselves so our children learn through observing healthy and emotionally mature parents.
I’m a big fan of Dan Siegel’s books and look forward to utilizing his brain-based strategies in my coaching practice to support healthy social and emotional parents and children.
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