The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired

Parenting isnt easy. Showing up is. Your greatest impact begins right where you are. Now the bestselling authors of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline explain what this means over the course of childhood. There is parenting magic in this book.Michael Thompson, Ph.D., co-author of the New York Times bestselling classic Raising Cain One of the very best scientific predictors for how any child turns outin terms of happiness, academic success, leadership skills, and meaningful relationshipsis whether at least one adult in their life has consistently shown up for them. In an age of scheduling demands and digital distractions, showing up for your child might sound like a tall order. But as bestselling authors Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson reassuringly explain, it doesnt take a lot of time, energy, or money. Instead, showing up means offering a quality of presence. And its simple to provide once you understand the four building blocks of a childs healthy development. Every child needs to feel what Siegel and Bryson call the Four Ss: Safe: We cant always insulate a child from injury or avoid doing something that leads to hurt feelings. But when we give a child a sense of safe harbor, she will be able to take the needed risks for growth and change. Seen: Truly seeing a child means we pay attention to his emotionsboth positive and negativeand strive to attune to whats happening in his mind beneath his behavior. Soothed: Soothing isnt about providing a life of ease; its about teaching your child how to cope when life gets hard, and showing him that youll be there with him along the way. A soothed child knows that hell never have to suffer alone. Secure: When a child knows she can count on you, time and again, to show upwhen you reliably provide safety, focus on seeing her, and soothe her in times of need, she will trust in a feeling of secure attachment. And thrive! Based on the latest brain and attachment research, The Power of Showing Up shares stories, scripts, simple strategies, illustrations, and tips for honoring the Four Ss effectively in all kinds of situationswhen our kids are struggling or when they are enjoying success; when we are consoling, disciplining, or arguing with them; and even when we are apologizing for the times we dont show up for them. Demonstrating that mistakes and missteps are repairable and that its never too late to mend broken trust, this book is a powerful guide to cultivating your childs healthy emotional landscape.