The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind

This book was a total eye-opener for me as a parent. The Whole-Brain Child breaks down how a child’s brain works in such a simple and relatable way. It helped me understand why my child reacts the way they do—and more importantly, how I can respond in a way that actually helps, instead of escalating things.I really liked that it’s based on neuroscience but doesn’t feel too “science-y.” The strategies are practical and easy to try at home. Things like “name it to tame it” and “connect and redirect” have already made a difference in how I handle meltdowns or tough moments.If you want to build a stronger emotional connection with your child and feel more confident navigating big feelings, this book is a must-read. I wish I had read it sooner!

The Whole-Brain Child gave me tools I didn’t even know I needed. It breaks down complex brain science into simple, relatable strategies that actually help in day-to-day parenting. The techniques for connecting with your child before correcting really work—and they’ve helped reduce meltdowns and build stronger relationships at home. I love the real-life examples, illustrations, and age-specific suggestions. It’s empowering without being overwhelming. Whether you're a new parent or an experienced one, this book is a must-read for understanding how kids think and feel.

I bought this for my daughter-in-law when she was needing some help with her two Littles ages four and six. It was very helpful. She learned she’s not alone in the way she feels and all young parents need words of wisdom..

This is a very well conceived and executed book, and very worth your time. The authors do a tremendous job of translating neurobiology and cognitive psychology into basic language for a general audience, for use in direct child interactions. Through each of their 12 strategies for understanding and interacting with "The Whole-Brained Child," the authors begin by describing in an unintimidating manner the portion of the brain and its function that will be subsequently discussed from a behavioral standpoint. From here, they use that behavioral basis and give very detailed examples of how to handle child behavior stemming from the associated biology, referring back to the brain as a reference point rather than as the focus.The point of the book, all science aside, is in dealing with certain child developmental features and behaviors (such as implicit memory, tantrums, fear of failure) by connecting with children directly. The science is used to serve as a backdrop but is a fascinating addition to what otherwise would be a simple behavioral book. Instead of just saying HOW to interact with children, the authors show us WHY, which lends a much greater and more nuanced understanding to the how. This book provides a unique opportunity to read about everyday situations with children and relate them quickly and easily to a neurobiological level.Though the authors say the book can be for direct childcare practitioners (such as teachers and daycare workers), the obvious target is parents. Here there are some issues. The book seems to be written for a white, suburban, middle class parent as opposed to the general population. Additionally, the practicality of some of the strategies is not immediately apparent, and the amount of effort required for many parents will be substantial - a paradigm shift for some ways. The illustrations are helpful in showing the dos and don'ts (not labelled as such, thankfully), but I found myself thinking the don'ts were many parent's default. The strategies really are a shift in thinking and require a lot of skill and investment to execute, but they are definitely achievable. In no way does this book alienate parents with over-expectations.I also felt some situations I felt were not addressed adequately. Most of the examples of child behavior and parental involvement deal with more mundane, everyday occurrences from the 'average' child. If you are interested in how to explain to your child what death is, this book doesn't venture into those dangerous waters. Nor does it address more difficult children. Additionally, the section of bringing implicit memories to the explicit is somewhat suspect in its claims and its basis, which some may find hypocritical. If implicit memories are necessarily altered as the authors say, why would a parent with altered memories of an incident helping a child reconstruct the child's own altered memories of that same incident serve to help the child? I wonder too about parental inconsistency when using these strategies. Again, they are intensive and hard to do in the moment the behavior is being exhibited by the child. I do believe these are not major issues, however. The authors' stress on underlying the importance of connection, integration of thought, and mindset make most of the above manageable simply by establishing a trusting baseline relationship with the child.Overall, I believe the pros of this book outweigh the negatives, though they should be noted. The authors' ability to successfully and fluently translate incredibly intricate science to the common reader (no college degree seems necessary for reading, but a level of literacy is assumed) is no small feat. It makes me wish more laboratory experiments that have real-world implications can be taken by researchers into the hands of the people that actually need and use them on a daily basis. Parents will find the strategies difficult to implement and will certainly encounter situations not touched upon here, but this is well worth the read. And it won't take you long...the writing style is easy to follow, the science unobtrusive and accessible, and the situations are often in dialogue-form and wonderfully vivid. Along with the illustrations and a very helpful appendix at the end denoting in which age ranges a parent should expect certain behaviors to manifest in, this book is a win.

This is a must read book for everyone either a parent or not

This book was recommended for me to read and I’m a grandmother, but I’ve been helping with my single parent son raise my grand daughter. I remember my own struggles being a single parent. I’ve raised four children, and I wish this was a book. I had read back then to help me sort out some of the struggles understanding a child’s brain. It’s such an easy read and really simplify things. I recommend it for any single father’s single mother’s along with mothers and father‘s raising their children together. I’ve never learned so much in such a small book. Highly highly recommend.!!!!!

This book is not just for understanding your toddler but also makes you a better person in relationships , at work etc. There are small things that matter so much!Just completed the audio book, doing a second round in case I zoned out in between..Being a parent can make you a better person too, I think I am slightly better than before 😁🤣

I have enjoyed this book, it’s focused on elementary age children but definitely can be applied to children of any ages. Definitely worth the reading.