The Whole-Brain Child: Developing Cognitive Skills and Decision-Making

 The Whole-Brain Child: Developing Cognitive Skills and Decision-Making

Welcome to the second installment of our six-part series on "The Whole-Brain Child" strategies. In this post, we'll explore two key strategies that focus on developing your child's cognitive skills and decision-making abilities: "Engage, Don't Enrage" and "Use It or Lose It".

Strategy 3: Engage, Don't Enrage

The "Engage, Don't Enrage" strategy is about encouraging your child to think and listen rather than react impulsively. Here's how to implement this approach:

1. Stay Calm: When your child is upset or misbehaving, remain calm yourself. Your composure can help de-escalate the situation.
2. Ask Questions: Instead of immediately scolding or punishing, ask questions to engage your child's thinking brain. For example, "What do you think might happen if you continue with this behavior?"
3. Encourage Problem-Solving: Guide your child to come up with solutions. You might ask, "What could you do differently next time?"
4. Validate Feelings: While addressing the behavior, acknowledge your child's emotions. "I understand you're angry, but hitting is not okay. Let's think of better ways to express your anger."

By engaging your child's rational thinking rather than escalating emotions, you're helping them develop crucial problem-solving skills and emotional regulation.

Strategy 4: Use It or Lose It

The "Use It or Lose It" strategy focuses on exercising the "upstairs brain" - the part responsible for sound decision-making, self-understanding, and empathy. Here's how to put this strategy into action:

1. Offer Choices: Regularly present your child with age-appropriate choices. For example, "Would you like to wear the red shirt or the blue one today?"
2. Encourage Planning: Involve your child in planning activities or solving problems. You might ask, "We're going to the park later. What do you think we should bring?"
3. Practice Perspective-Taking: Encourage your child to consider others' viewpoints. You could ask, "How do you think your friend felt when that happened?"
4. Discuss Consequences: Help your child think through the potential outcomes of their actions. "If you stay up late tonight, how do you think you'll feel tomorrow morning?"
5. Reflect on Experiences: After events or activities, discuss them with your child. Ask what they enjoyed, what they found challenging, and what they learned.

By consistently exercising these "upstairs brain" functions, you're helping your child strengthen their cognitive abilities and decision-making skills.

Implementing these strategies requires patience and consistency. Remember, the goal is not perfection but progress. Every time you engage your child's thinking brain or offer them a chance to make a decision, you're contributing to their cognitive development.

In our next post, we'll explore strategies related to the power of movement and memory in child development. Stay tuned!