We’re thrilled to announce my next book with Tina Payne Bryson, The Yes Brain – available everywhere on January 9, 2018.
As The Whole-Brain Child laid out the stages of a child’s development, and No-Drama Discipline focused on one of the most important aspects of child-rearing, The Yes Brain is centered on fostering resilience in children as they grow. Tina and I created a short “welcome note,” similar to the introductions in The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline to familiarize the reader with the concept of a “Yes Brain” and how it can be cultivated. We wanted to share with you now that Welcome Note as a short preview of what’s to come!
WELCOME
“There’s so much I want for my kids: happiness, emotional strength, academic success, social skills, a strong sense of self, and more. It’s hard to know where to even start. What characteristics are most important to focus on to help them live happy, meaningful lives?” We get some version of this question everywhere we go.
Parents want to help their kids become people who can handle themselves well and make good decisions, even when life is challenging. They want them to care for others but also know how to stand up for themselves. They want them to be independent and also enjoy mutually rewarding relationships. They want them to avoid melting down when things don’t go their way. Whew! That’s quite a list, and it can put a lot of pressure on us as parents (or as professionals who work with kids). So where should we focus our attention?
The book you’re holding is our attempt to offer a response to that question. The essential idea is that parents can help children develop a Yes Brain, which produces four key characteristics: Balance: the ability to manage emotions and behavior, so kids are less likely to flip their lids and lose control; Resilience: the ability to bounce back when life’s inevitable problems and struggles arise; Insight: the ability to look within and understand themselves, then use what they learn to make good decisions and be more in control of their lives; Empathy: the ability to understand the perspective of another, then care enough to take action to make things better when appropriate.
In the pages that follow, we’ll introduce you to the Yes Brain and discuss practical ways you can nurture these qualities in your children and teach them these important life skills. You really can help your kids become more emotionally balanced, more resilient in the face of struggles, more insightful when it comes to understanding themselves, and more empathic and caring toward others. We couldn’t be more excited to share this science-inspired approach with you. Come with us, and enjoy the journey of learning about the Yes Brain.
– Dan and Tina