Posts by Deborah Pettitt
the 3 R’s
I just read a reminder from Dr Bruce Perry about his “3R’s” for education. In this essay he reminds us that the new biology and neuroscience will change the face of education. “Our babies and children have to live in a world that is supercharged with stressors that didn’t exist a decade or two ago.…
Read MoreDeveloping Brain
A Number of Things to Remember about Child Development I just finished reading an article from Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child and wanted to summarize the things they want us to remember about how children develop. “Development is a highly interactive process, and life outcomes are not determined solely by genes.” – The environment…
Read MoreToxic Stress
I just listened to an Innovation Hub interview with Dr. Jack Shonkoff director of Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child (you can listen to this interview by clicking on the link). The core of this interview discusses the long term effects of toxic stress. Dr. Shonkoff suggests that everyone knows how it feels to be…
Read MoreRegulation – ups and downs part 3
Some children are both hyperaroused and dissociative depending on the situation. They may be activated by stressful life events and act out behaviorally. When the situation becomes too much they collapse into dissociation. This wide swing makes it extremely difficult for parents to follow. It seems as though they are on a wild ride over…
Read More6 Core strengths for healthy brain development
This week we will take the first 2 core strengths for healthy brain development which are attachment and self-regulation. Attachment is the capacity to form and maintain healthy emotional bonds with another person. It begins in infancy, as a child interacts with a loving, responsive and attentive caregiver. It is important because this strength is…
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