Resource Spotlight: “The Whole-Brain Child” Book Review
I recently had the opportunity to read the book “The Whole-Brain Child” written by Daniel Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson. This book discusses the different parts of the brain and how it impacts the child’s behaviors. We all know how important and complex the brain is, but if you’re anything like me, your mind may start to drift off when reading about the brain and all its complexities.
This book discusses the different functions of the brain in a practical and easy-to-understand way. Each chapter focuses on a different function of the brain such as the left and right side of the brain, the upstairs and downstairs parts of the brain, memories, and self-awareness. Each chapter starts with an explanation of how that part of the brain operates, how it impacts the child, and lastly, it gives strategies on how you can apply this knowledge to your everyday life when parenting your child.
It’s important to know how the brain functions, especially when raising children from hard places, but the best part of this book is showing parents and caregivers how to apply the information in practical ways.
If you want to dive in deeper there is a workbook that goes along with the book in order to provide a deeper understanding of the information and how to apply it specifically to your children. Another great thing about this book is that it not only helps make sense of how the brain works for children, but it gives insight on how it can be integrated into our personal lives and being able to understand how our own brains work.
If you want to learn more about the functions of the brain and receive great parenting tips without it being too academic or scientific, I definitely recommend this book. You can find it and more great information at Dr. Siegel’s website at this link.
Happy reading!
For more post-adoption resources, including adoption coaching and training, visit America World’s ACT pages where you can find pre-recorded webinars and training sessions led by ACT Coaches.
Bonnie Westfall is a Post-Adoption Associate at America World. She grew up in St. Louis and moved to the D.C. area in 2016 with her husband. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Juvenile Justice and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Human Services Counseling: Crisis Response and Trauma from Liberty University.