Gretchen Hunter, Ph.D. is a neuropsychologist at Child and Family Development and mom of 2 girls. Recently, she found a quick and easy to read guide of parenting tips on the PBS parents website. It offers 5 easy steps to raising a “can-do” child including:
- Talk about the brain
- Practice the art of self-talk
- Embrace imperfections
- Teach kids to seek knowledge, not approval
- View challenges as opportunities
Read full article here.
Dr. Hunter’s take is that even toddlers and preschoolers can use learning about the brain and play to improve emotional management skills. Common games such as Red Light Green Light and Simon Says promote active listening and impulse-control, favorite characters like Cookie Monster and Daniel Tiger have updated shows about coping skills and self-talk strategies, and children as young as 2 can respond to their parents modeling a simple relaxation strategy. Her own steps are:
- Find a time when your child is happy and calm
- Talk about when they might use a strategy to calm down when upset
- Model slow breathing to the count of 4
- Cue the child to practice and provide praise
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