While the ups and downs of child-rearing can leave us in wonder and awe, they can also leave us questioning and confused, wondering what is going on and how to respond. Here to answer these questions is The Whole-Brain Child, a positive-behaviour and attachment-based guide to making sense of and responding to the challenges of child development. In this collaborative project, psychotherapist Tina Payne Bryson and clinical professor of psychiatry Daniel J Siegel, explain some of the nuances of neuro-development and the integral role of relationships in shaping the brain. Once the reader has worked through an introductory lesson on brain development, the authors present 12 concrete strategies using anecdotal examples, illustrations, comic strips and tables. These strategies include:

• Connect and redirect
• Name it to tame it
• Engage don’t enrage
• Move it or lose it
• Enjoy each other

While Siegel and Bryson are empathetic to the struggles and frustrations of supporting challenging children and challenging moments in child-rearing, their focus on safe and secure relationships is a constant gentle reminder that ultimately repairing and maintaining connection through responsive caregiving is the answer to it all.

Find it in the CISS Resource Library.

Meghan Scott, BAH Psych
Inclusion Facilitator