We have just started the discussion on "The Whole Brain Child," by Daniel Siegel...
"I haven't read this book before now. So I just finished chapter one and I'm reflecting on my evening. I'm paddling down a lazy river on a nice calm evening when I realize that B, who was reminded to finish the dishes (maybe 40 times?) is talking on the phone, dishes undone. The other sweet littles are munching on cookies and generally being silly. Fast forward down the river. Bedtime and we notice that the rooms are a total (insert cliche) Pigpen and the closet floors are nowhere to be seen under layers of clothes. I would like to know how things can get so bad when they were just cleaned last night under the same circumstances. (Did I mention that the dishes still aren't done? And we used paper plates!) My lazy river has turned into raging rapids and I am slamming against the shores of chaos and rigidity as I become dis-integrated. My heart rate goes up and my voice gets mean and (sorry Dr Purvis) my eyes are not soft. There is a little voice in my head that tells me that it is my fault that I was preoccupied when there was cookie munching and phone-call-talking and that I need to be more aware of the state of the responsibilites before it gets this late. Again. So, I look forward to learning how this book can help me gain some mental health so that I can teach my kids to integrate their own brains. So what do you think? Is there a river? Are the banks called Chaos and Rigidity? Does this ring true with you? On to chapter two...."
Interested? Does this book sound like something that would give you more parenting tools by understanding the right-brain, left-brain, top-brain, bottom-brain integration? I know that I, for one, can always use new ways to see my child- new ways to improve myself and learn, or even review, information that can bring hope and healing. Pick up the book, order it on Amazon, or grab a copy from the Fiesta library and log on to the Facebook group page, NM Fiesta Book Club to discuss it with the rest of us.
