3 Key Roles Of The Prefrontal Cortex That Can Shift The Way We Interact With Our Children

3 Key Points about the prefrontal cortex part of the brain to influence our interactions with children

When it comes to understanding our children and how they react to situations; make decisions or generally plan out their time and tasks, especially for the older ones, not much is talked about in terms of the prefrontal cortex part of the brain and its significant influence on these activities.

This blog aims to highlight to you: parents, educators, homeschoolers’ a key role the prefrontal cortex has on these actions and hopes to urge you to look at your children with a more compassionate eye and perhaps with more curiosity when dealing with our children in trying to understand some of what they may do that does not often sit well with us, the adults at times.

So here goes, the prefrontal cortex is located at the very front of the frontal lobe of the brain.  Below are 3 main facts about it that can help us develop an attitude of compassion and perhaps curiosity towards out children as we observe them daily as they go about their milestones of trying to achieve the academic expectations laid out for them and not forgetting their emotional interactions too.

3 points to note about the prefrontal cortex part of the brain:

• It is responsible for higher level thinking.
• It is an important area of the brain that is responsible for managing emotions, planning, organization, and logical thinking.
• Fully develops at about the age of 25. Check out: Arain, M., Haque, M., Johal, L., Mathur, P., Nel, W., Rais, A., Sandhu, R., & Sharma, S. (2013). Maturation of the adolescent brain. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 9, 449–461.

I hope these points help you understand that yes, your child is totally normal when you see them ‘fall short’ of certain behavioural expectations or decisions they make based on your expectations at times.

Beauty is, we can put certain processes and steps in place to ensure they are more emotionally regulated to enhance their decision making, planning, organization and general disposition towards how they handle just about every day situations and circumstances.

If you are a parent with children (5-18 years) and would love some guidance with how to help your child thrive academically and emotionally, book a FREE strategy call with me, to find out whether my Awakened Parenting program which works on enhancing these skills is for you. Book your clarity call today:

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