Here's a link to my interview with Joyful Courage. I love sharing the ideas from Whole-Brain Child and No Drama Discipline, and discussing how science can help guide parents in really meaningful ways.

What you will hear in this episode:

• How Dr. Dan Siegal and Tina collaborated on THE WHOLE-BRAINED CHILD

• How science can help guide parents in really profound ways

• Programs, communities and in which Dr. Bryson’s work is taught

• The importance of HOW are parent shows up to the nervous system of a developing child

• How getting CURIOUS with your child creates gateways into building important life skills and self regulation

• How making ASSUMPTIONS delays or stops tool building; ie, taking behavior personal, over explaining behavior, making character assumptions, if they did it once they should be able to consistently complete task/request

• Paying attention to a developing nervous system

• If the nervous system is not regulated the child cannot have choice over behavior

• How to influence the nervous system in both self and child

• Identification of Dr. Bryson and Dr. Siegals emotional “ZONES”; Red Zone, Blue Zone, Green Zone

• The Frontal Cortex is not developed yet

• Children do not have the architecture to control “reptilian brain” / “fight or flight” in red or blue zones – difficulty paying attention, learning, regulating

• Tools/techniques to get in “green zone” – regulated, calm, empathetic, attune

• Behavior is communicating child’s lack of skills

• When to seek out professional help

• Self regulation – be gentle and kind with ourselves (reference Kristin Neff, of self-compassion.org)

• New techniques require time and PRACTICE

• Calming strategy when child is disregulated- get BELOW eye level and use soothing words including “I’m right here with you”

• Brain associates with physical state – floppy noodle technique

• Body shift can help shift emotions

• How discipline is teaching

• We need to give children tools not take them away

• Thoughts on consequences

• Key actions of soothing, connection, problem-solving, playfulness and being pro-active build a “whole-brained” child

• How to recognize our own “zones” and practice getting/staying into “green zone”

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