The Whole Brain Child, by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. I originally wrote this article in 2013, but as we are in a time of stress and anxiety, it seemed timely to share this again now, especially as while helping my youngest child with his learning this week, we discussed this very thing. It loops our feelings into logical equations. Instead of forbidding her to stop hitting the mirror with the stick, " lets go outside, what could you do with that stick in the yard?" The upstairs part of the brain is where we can make decisions, show empathy, have self control etc. This idea comes from Dr Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson's book "The Whole-Brain Child" and it’s a really simple way to help kids to think about what’s going on inside their head. What ways have you discovered to calm your child’s downstairs brain? But we don’t want it fully in control. When your child has “flipped their lid,” their upstairs and downstairs brains are not working together. THE DOWNSTAIRS BRAIN The downstairs brain, often referred to as the reptilian or primitive brain, contains the brain stem, limbic region and the amygdala. INTEGRATING THE UPSTAIRS BRAIN AND THE DOWNSTAIRS BRAIN • Develop the upstairs brain: Watch for ways to help build the sophisticated upstairs brain, which is “under construction” during childhood and adolescence and can be “hijacked” by the downstairs brain, … Introducing the brain house: the upstairs and the downstairs. Once he is back in his upstairs brain, the issues can be addressed using logic and reason. The downstairs part of our brain is with us when we are born and never leaves us. This article explains why. The better we are able to understand this concept, the better we can help kids during stressful situations, and also during calm, character-building times. If your child … How can we help guide her through this situation? Your fifth-grader sulks on the bench instead of playing on the field. Thinking, imagining, planning – these things come from the upstairs brain. (This is an excerpt from the chapter “The Brain and Fear” from How to Have Peace When Your Kids are in Chaos) Is your child stuck in a survival mode? We need that downstairs brain to work. The downstairs brain is fully developed at birth and is concerned with basic survival. The staircase is one of the most important parts of a two-story house, and that same logic is true for the brain. The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind [Siegel, Daniel J., Bryson, Tina Payne] on Amazon.com. The downstairs brain is fully developed at birth and is concerned with basic survival. The child is not being manipulative. Saved by Teachers Pay Teachers. Copyright © All rights reserved. His body is calming itself automatically as his brain is distracted. Learn about the notion of upstairs and downstairs brain … Step 1: Connect first with the child’s downstairs brain. Right brain, left brain integration is a topic many people are familiar with, but another way to explore brain integration is by thinking about one’s “upstairs” and “downstairs” brain. REDIRECT WITH LEFT BRAIN When they are more receptive, involve child in making amends NAME IT TO TAME IT USE LEFT-BRAIN STORY TELLING to help them … The concept of upstairs and downstairs brain domains comes from Dr. Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson’s book The Whole-Brain Child. For someone who has strong emotional reactions it is important to engage the upstairs brain to slow this reaction and think things through. The most important thing is to be attuned to the child and recognize what part of their brain is controlling their actions. This includes the pre-frontal cortex in the frontal lobe area of the brain, which is responsible for learning, reasoning, planning, decision making, problem solving and organisation. What part of the brain is the child using? It slows him down enough to help him clear his mind and help him self regulate. Feb 15, 2019 - Explore Cortney O'Brien's board "Downstairs Brain to Upstairs Brain", followed by 109 people on Pinterest. If this doesn’t work, and the child is still under the control of their downstairs brain, there are other things you can try. Theme Creativ Preschoool by, Sue Larkey’s tips on Teaching Strategies and Behaviour Support for ASD, Emotional Processing and Regulation - Home Learning Mentor, What is Executive Function? This is sometimes called the lizard or reptile brain. It’s what keeps us breathing! The 'upstairs brain', which makes decisions and balances emotions, is under construction until the mid-20s. I care about you.") The frontal cortex (what Siegel and Bryson call the “upstairs brain”) is responsible for rational self-monitoring and decision-making, and it isn’t fully developed until our mid-20s. A short sample of Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D. using her characteristic warmth and knowledge to introduce an audience to some basic neuroscience. By just naming the responses which are generated by his upstairs and downstairs brain, I am showing my son that he can be in control of his reactions and his body states. See more ideas about whole brain child, social emotional, dan siegel. When your child has flipped their lid, the “upstairs” part of the brain is not available. The Whole-Brain Child A quick guide for busy parentS CONNECT AND RE-DIRECT When your child is upset: 1. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D., offers twelve revolutionary strategies to nurture your child’s developing mind. of—the Downstairs Brain. But in the downstairs operating system, he can’t find connection, trust, or … The downstairs brain is very reactive. Progress starts from the ground level, with each layer being built upon the one before it. Don't automatically go to "because I said so!". He is so upset and angry that he can’t make logical decisions. Children and youth’s upstairs brain is developing (under construction), but even the parts that can work become blocked when under high emotion or stress. He can’t think clearly. If he has a strong emotional reaction, I tell him “that is your downstairs brain talking. re p 48 #3 – even our tone of voice can trigger (more about that this weekend). A review of Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson's The Whole-Brain Child: 12 ... to the Upstairs Brain. 9705 Harry Hines BoulevardDallas, Texas 75220. The more you can appeal to the upstairs brain and engage him in critical thinking and processing, the more your child will think and act and decide, rather than simply reacting to what he's feeling. chapter three: this ‘upstairs/ downstairs brain’ is a simple way to explain to children – and when parents realise that the child’s upstairs brain is still ‘under construction’, they are more likely to be compassionate re ‘difficult’ behaviour. The upstairs brain is more complex. This instinctive part of the brain is well developed from birth and is responsible for: Basic functioning – breathing, blinking, heart beating, flinching, digestion etc. The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind Unlike your more basic downstairs brain, the upstairs brain is more evolved and can give you a fuller perspective on your world.”- The Whole Brain Child It is sophisticated as opposed to primitive. The Whole-Brain Child. Basic functions like breathing, strong emotions, and innate reactions to danger, like fight, flight or freeze. The sub-cortex (i.e., “downstairs brain”) controls the fight or flight behavior and reveals feelings. Subjects: Other (Science), Psychology, Child Care. In his new book, “The Whole Brained Child,” due out in early October, Daniel Siegel introduces the concept of the upstairs and downstairs parts of our brain. This idea comes from Dr Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson’s book ‘The Whole Brain Child’, and it’s a really simple way to help kids to think about what’s going on inside their head. Just remember to use your upstairs brain! It is up to us to make sure that staircase is working. When the brain’s staircase is built, the upstairs brain can monitor the strong emotions and impulses from the downstairs and make sense of them. The seven senses* relay all information to the Brain Stem which then to the Amygdala in the Downstairs Brain. ‘The Whole-Brain Child’ is very reader-friendly, delving into the neuroscience behind the development of the An attuned parent, teacher, or therapist might see that the second child is escalating and connect with him—right brain to right brain. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. As we work with children, we need to continually ask ourselves, “Am I engaging the upstairs brain, or am I triggering the downstairs brain?” As adults, we are like the brain’s staircase carpenters. This video is about Whole Brain Child Part 2Strategies 3, 4 and 5.Upstairs and Downstairs Brain Do children conspire to make their parent . This is where your creative process lives, imagining, thinking, planning. When a child is stressed, they are unable to learn. Required fields are marked *. One technique that worked for us this week (one that was once shared with me by a teacher) is “name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste”. Rather than triggering the more primitive and reactive downstairs brain with the “Because I said so!” card, ask questions, collaborate, and even negotiate. The second child is in his downstairs brain. This is a concept that I “borrowed” from ‘The Whole Brain Child‘ by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. The first child is in her upstairs brain. It is designed to keep us safe by inhibiting some of the higher brain and body functions while you react to the threat. The upstairs brain on the other hand is the seat of executive function, the base for self regulation, planning, organisation, problem solving, impulse control and the conscious component of emotion. The downstairs brain is the primitive, instinctual, emotional, intuitive part of the brain and includes the amygdala, the area behind the “fight, flight or freeze” mechanism, the automatic response to sensory stimuli, the unconscious component of emotion. I think of the upstairs brain, or the top part of the brain is the more evolved, rational, problem solving brain; whereas, the downstairs brain is more primitive and animal like. When we had completed this activity, he was calm enough to continue his work. The downstairs brain has taken over, and you need to engage the upstairs brain so your child can move pass their tantrum. It's the upstairs and downstairs brain. We need both the upstairs and the downstairs brain. The minute she gets to that pencil sharpener, the tears will likely stop. Read next: Emotional Processing and Regulation, Your email address will not be published. Dr. Dan Siegel and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson have a concept in their book "The Whole-Brain Child" that helps us understand the brain in a simple way. We need the upstairs and the downstairs brain to work together. I tell children that their brains are like a house, with an upstairs and a downstairs. You don’t have to be a world-class architect to know that every worthwhile home must be built on a solid foundation. Dive into a little brain lesson with us! This is the most effective emotional regulation technique I have discovered, more effective than simply telling him to take deep breaths or another meditative technique. Therefore, we need to wait until the child calms down or help them calm down, before we start trying to rationalise with them. problem solve once they have reconnected with their upstairs brain. In this last in the series on the brain and fear, Kathleen delves into the difference between the upstairs and downstairs brain. She is in control of her emotions. I tell children that their brains are like a house, with an upstairs and a downstairs.