The Yes Brain

Publisher's Summary

From the authors of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline, an indispensable guide to unlocking your child's innate capacity for resilience, compassion, and creativity. 

When facing challenges, unpleasant tasks, and contentious issues such as homework, screen time, food choices, and bedtime, children often act out or shut down, responding with reactivity instead of receptivity. This is what New York Times best-selling authors Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson call a No Brain response. But our kids can be taught to approach life with openness and curiosity. Parents can foster their children's ability to say yes to the world and welcome all that life has to offer, even during difficult times. This is what it means to cultivate a Yes Brain. 

When kids work from a Yes Brain, they're more willing to take chances and explore. They're more curious and imaginative, less worried about making mistakes. They're better at relationships and more flexible and resilient when it comes to handling adversity and big feelings. They work from a clear internal compass that directs their decisions, as well as the way they treat others. Guided by their Yes Brain, they become more open, creative, and resilient. 

In The Yes Brain, the authors give parents skills, scripts, ideas, and activities to bring kids of all ages into the overwhelmingly beneficial "yes" state. You'll learn: 

• The four fundamentals of the Yes Brain - balance, resilience, insight, and empathy - and how to strengthen them 
• The key to knowing when kids need a gentle push out of a comfort zone vs. needing the "cushion" of safety and familiarity 
• Strategies for navigating away from negative behavioral and emotional states (aggression and withdrawal) and expanding your child's capacity for positivity 

With inspirational anecdotes, The Yes Brain is an essential tool for nurturing positive potential and keeping your child's inner spark glowing and growing strong - and gifting your children with a life of rich relational connections, meaningful interactions with the world, and emotional equanimity. 

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"Easily assimilated and informative, the book will help adults enable children to lead physically and emotionally satisfying and well-rounded lives filled with purpose and meaningful relationships. Edifying, easy-to-understand scientific research that shows the benefits that accrue when a child is encouraged to be inquisitive, spirited, and intrepid." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"In today's busy, competitive culture, allowing our children the space to be themselves is more important than ever. This book provides an escape hatch from the high-stakes mindset." (Vicki Abeles, producer and co-director, The Race to Nowhere and Beyond Measure)

"Bottom line: Every parent wants to raise a strong-minded, resilient, caring child. We just don't know exactly how; we open our mouths and we sing our parents' tired refrain, 'No...no...no.' In The Yes Brain, Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson teach us how to cultivate a receptive, curious brain in our children. I have never read a better, clearer explanation of the impact parenting can have on a child's brain and personality." ( Michael Thompson, PhD, co-author of Raising Cain)

Crucial content for parents today

After listening to Whole-Brained Child, I was really interested in what Siegel and Payne Bryson would have to say in The Yes Brain. This feels especially relevant to me as a mom, because my experience with my sons is that they are quick to reject new experiences or ideas that fall outside of their comfort zones. I appreciate the authors’ emphasis on self-understanding and internally-derived sense of self. After reading the book, I have a set of four key concepts (the ‘fundamentals of the Yes Brain’) to keep in mind during my daily interactions with my kids. They offer concrete, even illustrated, examples for how to develop these qualities. There are helpful acronyms and key phrases for easier recall of the main concepts covered in the book. The message is clear: the authors value internal development of our children’s self-understanding, and challenge parents to assess the rationale behind their choices for children’s often hectic schedule of ‘enriching’ activities. They encourage us to slow down, connect with our kids, let them play, and step in when necessary to help them build skills to engage in meaningful ways in the world and with others.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Where is the PDF

I am a few chapters in and they keep referring to a PDF. Where can I download it? I can not find it

42 of 48 people found this review helpful

Their worst book

What a disappointment! Their other books including the Whole Brain Child were pretty good. This one was mostly a rehashing of their earlier material. Almost nothing new here. Also, they had very little scientific evidence in the book. It was almost all their opinion or anecdotes. Finally, they mentioned something in the cover about promoting curiosity in kids, but I didn't hear that in the book at all.
A waste of time. Only positive was that it was narrated by the authors, which I always appreciate

13 of 16 people found this review helpful

A little bit of the same, but also new great stuff

If you could sum up The Yes Brain in three words, what would they be?

More child-psychology magic!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Daniel and Tina did a great job reading the book, as usual.

Which scene was your favorite?

Their description for kids of neural connections is perfect. Lots of helpful examples.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I’d caution you if you’re looking for something super novel. There is some good, new information in here. However, as the description states, it’s built upon the previous books by the co-authors. Much of the information is more of a helpful review and re-presented in a new light; explaining how the same strategies and neuroscience insights can help develop a “Yes Brain.”

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great book but where’s the PDF

This book provides great information and practical tools to implement immediately. But how do I access the PDF?

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

can't find pdf they continue to reference.

the book seems really great, but I didn't get the pdf. they say it should be in my library but it's not.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great parenting book!

Want to instill greater courage and curiosity in yourself and your children? Following the principles in this book you will build resilience and a more balanced and healthy brain which. Will lead to healthier and happier relationships!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

PDF?

They refer to a PDF that should be available but I haven’t been able to find it... if I paid for it and it is supposed to be included... why isn’t it easily accessible?

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Where is the pdf

Where is the pdf ? Great book but I can’t find the PDF they talk about.

They just keep getting better!

I’m so grateful to have listened and learned, once again, to the logical wisdom of Dr Dan and Tina! Thank you