We’ve all witnessed the excitement in a child’s eyes when they run like a maniac during a game of chase. Or how proud they look waving back from that tree they just climbed. Activities like this challenge their physical strength and help them discover their limits, often involving a slight risk of injury (which, of course, they bravely ignore!)  These activities are examples of what is known as ‘risky play’. [...]

Christmas is the perfect time to show love and affection, share, and help the less fortunate. Christmas is the time of giving. But have you considered that you might be giving...too much? Because while all the above is true, there’s no denying that Christmas is also the time of year when consumerism peaks. Us grownups tend to forget that children are not that hard to please or wow, we also [...]

Your childhood experiences have shaped you into what you are today, but they have also created behavioural patterns that you might not be aware of. That’s all the more true for those who have been exposed to acute stress or traumatic events at an early age, also known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). So what happens when a child comes into your life? Is it possible to let go of [...]

In a previous blog of ours, “Using ‘The Hand Model of the Brain’ to Explain our Reaction to Stress”, we discussed how children can get overwhelmed by big emotions and throw tantrums. Today, we’re going to give you practical tips to help your kids manage these big feelings and develop self-regulation skills through a process known as co-regulation. What Exactly is Co-Regulation? Co-regulation is not about temporarily calming a child [...]

Life is pretty busy and chaotic when raising children. When things get hectic, we often struggle to juggle all the demands of family life: keeping our children healthy and safe, juggling study, work, school, appointments, running a household, extracurricular activities and showing up where you need to be on time. Children need time and a whole lot of energy. It’s not enough to be merely physically present with them. Children [...]

We all know that the wiring of the human brain is extremely complicated, and its functions are versatile. Luckily, scientists are doing their best to explain brain functions in simple terms so that we can all understand our brains a little better. An example of such simplification is the left and the right brain. If we had to describe each side in just one adjective, we’d say that the left [...]

There are four primary chemicals in our brains that affect happiness. These are Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins. These are the chemicals that, when combined, create desirable brain states and emotions we seek to experience again and again. A brain that regularly produces these chemicals is hardwired for happiness in the long run. Then there are other brain chemicals, like Cortisol and Adrenaline that are induced in stressful situations that [...]

Dr. Daniel Siegel’s hand model of the brain allows us to picture our brain structure and understand why it’s difficult to control our reactions when we’re overwhelmed with strong emotions, especially stress. Due to developmental factors, children are more susceptible to stress. The hand model of the brain helps them imagine what’s happening inside their brain when they get upset so that they can identify and deal with negative emotions [...]

Children are meant to be happy and energetic; exploring their surroundings, asking lots of questions, playing (and occasionally fighting) with other children... It’s all part of learning to interact and develop social relationships with other people and regulate themselves. But why is it that some children find it harder than others to engage socially? Why do they become overly aggressive or, on the flip side, isolated and withdrawn? In this [...]

Historically, play has been a significant part of cultures all over the globe, and continues to be a crucial part of childhood for most animals (humans too!). Play helps us develop healthy brains and nervous systems, nurtures our imaginations, develops problem solving skills, resiliency, creativity and pro-social traits and generally, keeps us happy and healthy. Before we get into more about the history of play, if you haven’t read our [...]