by Susie Windle | Apr 6, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
The stress-response systems in a child’s brain are largely influenced by the type of parenting a child receives. If a parent’s form of discipline relies on criticism and commands, the rage or fear systems in a child’s brain can become oversensitive and overreactive....
by Susie Windle | Mar 30, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions
To “feel felt,” children need parents to tune in to their primary emotions. In any given situation, these are the emotions children feel first, such as happy, sad, mad, or scared. When parents connect with a child’s primary emotional experience, a special kind of...
by Susie Windle | Mar 16, 2011 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions
When parents use constructive and effective forms of discipline, they are teaching their children how to use inner controls. The effective techniques for doing this depend upon a child’s developmental level. Toddlers, for example, need help as they learn to moderate,...
by Susie Windle | Feb 9, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play
Some children seek out touch and movement more than others. Often these are the kids that have higher activity levels. They may want to swing highest on the swing and will likely find jumping in a mud puddle great fun. Other kids find too much touch and movement...
by Susie Windle | Jan 12, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
Early experiences influence your child’s later life. What your child learns about the world today influences how he or she will interpret new events as well as shape what is learned next. What is learned next then influences the theories developed about the world as...
by Susie Windle | Jan 5, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
Making connections with our children (and others) involves verbal and nonverbal communication. When scientists look at the way the brain functions as we connect with one another, they see that the processing that occurs in the brain’s left hemisphere is connected to...
by Susie Windle | Dec 29, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Parents: Practice Self Care
New Year’s resolutions center around changing habits. Regardless of whether you are hoping to ditch an unhealthy habit or adopt a healthy new one, you will need to get your mind involved in your plan. You not only have to be aware of the changes you want to make, you...
by Susie Windle | Dec 22, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
Almost any reading is beneficial for your child, though certain kinds of books will be attuned to your child’s level of cognitive development and will therefore grab his or her attention for longer periods of time. The early stages of reading development include:...
by Susie Windle | Dec 15, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
Literacy dramatically changes the brain. When we learn the alphabet, we are learning how to carve speech into foundational components. We are also developing phonemic awareness, which creates a distinction in meaning and facilitates the storage and meaning of speech...
by Susie Windle | Dec 8, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Parents: Practice Self Care
Heightened feelings of stress are familiar during the holidays because this time of year often includes the extra to-dos of the season, worries about finances, and additional time commitments. The holidays also set the stage for renewing family connections, which can...
