The Brain

All about the brain, in simple terms.

I’ve posted this image (see below) on my Facebook page before, but wanted to chat a little more about it.

Saying, “The human brain is complex” is an understatement. I’ve been to seminars, I’ve watched webinars, I’ve discussed with colleagues, I’ve read books and articles alike, and STILL I don’t know everything there is to know about the brain, but I know a few things.

The human brain develops in an upward trajectory, from the bottom up. So, if we look at the picture below we can see what order each region develops in:

1. Brain Stem (development occurs in utero)

2. Subcortical Region (starts in utero and continues into childhood)

3. Cortex (continuously developing, but not fully developed until age … (keep reading to find out … hehe))

I won’t go into too much detail now on what each region is responsible for because you can check out the picture (and also, the brain FASCINATES me, so I’ll be talking about it a lot on here — just a warning — already planning my next post). But, I did want to talk about the Subcortical Region of the brain, specifically, the Limbic system, as this region of the brain is our “emotion centre” and the structure that is utilized by children when big feelings are happening. Now, this “emotion centre” is also part of the adult brain, but there’s a big different between adults and children: Children do NOT have fully developed brains; adults DO.

Any guess on when the human brain is fully developed????

Answer: MID-TWENTIES!! 
(I’m imagining people responding with shock and curiosity)

So, it makes sense that an adult and a child brain work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s rational part and the LAST part of our brain to develop (Side note … *SOME ADULTS* … not all adults respond by using rational thinking). The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment and an awareness of long-term consequences (again, I’m sure you can think of an adult who does NOT do this). When big feelings are going on, kids don’t have the capacity to process this type of information.

So, remember when your child is having a “big feeling” moment, they aren’t using the logical or rational part of their brain. And that logic and rationalization that you’re attempting to use, won’t help.

You might be thinking, “Oh great! Now what?! What do I do???”

The simple answer: Connect with the feeling. Pull them close, give them a huge, name and validate the feeling that is going on for them! Once that has occurred, depending on age, you might be able to support them in using some problem solving skills.
I spoke more about this in my last blog entry, so check it out if you’re interested.

I recently read the following on Echo Parenting & Education related to building a connection related to feelings and thought it would be a nice end to this post:

[Building a connected relationship] is the number one way to regulate the nervous system. When we are around people we care about, our bodies produce oxytocin, which is the hormone responsible for calming our nervous system after stress. If we stay connected, then eventually the calm discussion of each person’s feelings and needs can take place.

Thanks for reading,
Nichole