by Susie Windle | Oct 3, 2012 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Parents: Practice Self Care, Sensory Information
We have all heard the saying “It’s the little things that count,” and we probably have all experienced “little things” counting on more than one occasion. In terms of how this adage applies to our health and well-being, research is showing that little daily practices...
by Susie Windle | Nov 30, 2011 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
Remember “connect and redirect”? Connect to the emotion your child is feeling, and then redirect your child in a way that helps him or her tap a developing ability to think rationally. Connect and redirect is a very helpful strategy for many of those delicate moments...
by Susie Windle | Nov 16, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
It can be tempting to make decisions for our kids so they do the right thing, but it is important to let them make decisions for themselves so they get a chance to practice. During the decision-making process, the thinking brain weighs different, competing...
by Susie Windle | Nov 2, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parents: Practice Self Care
As a parent, you will have times when you feel a bit frazzled or on edge. You may notice that your children are getting on your nerves, or you might feel like exploding at something you would normally take in stride. When you recognize in yourself the signs of stress...
by Susie Windle | Oct 26, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
The regulation of emotions is one of many developmental processes that children go through. It is interesting to watch children use new strategies as they learn to control their emotions. Language is one of the contributors to improved emotional self-regulation. As...
by Susie Windle | Oct 19, 2011 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
Last week we discussed how understanding the development of the right and left sides of the brain could be beneficial in making choices as a parent. This week, we will discuss the vertical aspect. The lower areas of the brain include the brain stem and the limbic...
by Susie Windle | Jun 15, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
An attitude, or our state of mind in the moment, is more transient than a belief. Yet this temporary state of mind does affect how we perceive, interpret, and respond in any given situation. Our attitude in the moment shapes how we feel about someone or something, and...
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 | Nov 10, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Sensory Information
Before we inhabit a world of words, we live in a world of sensations. These physical sensations provide important clues about what is meaningful for us. Bodily sensations are really the foundation for the brain’s process of making decisions “rationally.” Therefore,...