Growing Minds
What happens inside a child's brain when emotions take over, and what you can do about it.
For parents, teachers, grandparents, pediatricians, and anyone who shows up for a child every day.
In the Lab with:
Lucinda Sisk, Ph.D.
Developmental Neuroscientist
Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, Lifespan, Informatics, and Neuroimaging Center, working with Dr. Ted Satterthwaite. Ph.D., Yale University, working with Dr. Dylan Gee in the Clinical Affective Neuroscience & Development Lab
Dr. Lucinda Sisk is a developmental neuroscientist whose work centers on how childhood environments, and the experiences children have within them, shape the developing brain. She completed her Ph.D. at Yale University under the mentorship of Dr. Dylan Gee at the Clinical Affective Neuroscience and Development Lab, and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania's Lifespan, Informatics, and Neuroimaging Center.
Her research looks at how the state of a child's developing brain affects their resilience, their emotional responses, and their long term mental health. In plain terms, she studies why some children struggle more than others, and what the adults in their lives can do about it.
We are proud that her journey with Walden Wise has grown alongside this work. She is exactly the kind of emerging scientist we love to learn from and lift up.
Children's brains do not grow in a straight line. And once you understand that, everything changes about how you see the hard moments, the setbacks, and the breakthroughs. Dr. Lucinda Sisk brings the science to life in a way that is immediately useful for any caring adult.
Why A Child’s Brain Does Not Grow
in a Straight Line
This is one of the most important things any caring adult can understand. The moments that look like setbacks, the meltdowns, the shutdowns, the unexpected reactions, are often not setbacks at all. They are signs of a brain that is actively reorganizing, building new emotional circuits, and doing exactly what it is supposed to do.
When we understand this, we stop bracing against those moments quite so hard. We start to see the child in front of us more clearly.
Brain development is non-linear, meaning that different brain circuits and the functions they support mature at different rates. These differences in the developmental timing of circuit maturation can shape children's abilities and behavior as they get older."
Lucinda Sisk
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Understanding non-linear brain development involves recognizing that different brain circuits and functions mature at different rates. This means that certain skills or abilities may develop faster or slower than others, creating variations among children. As CoCreators this is vital to understand so that we are always considering individual differences and unique developmental trajectories.
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The uneven development of brain circuits directly influences various aspects of a child's abilities and skills. Some areas may be more advanced or active than others during specific developmental stages. For example, language skills may develop earlier than certain cognitive abilities, and social-emotional development may have different trajectories. By understanding these variations, we can better support our children in their growth and provide tailored guidance.
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Brain development research has yielded valuable insights into the non-linear nature of development. For instance, we know that the prefrontal cortex, which plays a major role in cognition, emotion processing, and behavior, continues to develop into young adulthood. In contrast, the amygdala, a region responsible for detecting and signifying important external events, develops relatively earlier. This juxtaposition in circuit development is thought to help explain some of the behavioral changes that frequently occur during adolescence, such as increases in risk-taking behavior and exploration beyond the home and family environment.*
Listen as Lucinda Sisk gives examples of different types of brain circuits that develop in different ways during childhood and how an understanding of this non-linear development can influence adult expectations of children.
CoCreator Activity: Adapting Your Approach
Before you can support a child's emotional development, it helps to understand your own starting point.
This short activity invites you to reflect on how you naturally respond when a child is struggling, and what small shifts might open up more connection in those moments.
It takes about five minutes. You do not need anything except a quiet moment and an honest willingness to notice.
Try it here, then keep reading to understand the science behind what you discover.
How to Meet a Child Exactly Where They Are
Researchers call it scaffolding. Caring adults know it as something simpler: showing up in a way that matches what a child actually needs in this moment, not the moment you wish they were in.
It is one of the most powerful things you can do for a developing brain. And it does not require perfection. It requires presence.
Scaffolding emotional health involves providing support and guidance to foster children's emotional well-being. It is through this practice that we create a nurturing environment where children can thrive emotionally.
Let's explore more about brain development and creating a strong foundation for kids’ emotional growth.
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Understanding brain development allows CoCreators to scaffold their child's emotional well-being by providing appropriate support and creating a nurturing environment. By being aware of their child's developmental stage, CoCreators can tailor their parenting approaches to meet their child's specific needs and promote emotional growth. As Lucinda Sisk explains, "By understanding brain development, CoCreators can provide the necessary support that aligns with their child's stage of development, fostering emotional well-being."
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CoCreators can adapt their scaffolding approaches by observing and attuning to the specific emotional needs, strengths, and challenges of children. This allows for personalized support and the promotion of optimal emotional development. As Lucinda highlights, "Adapting approaches may involve using different language, visual aids, or other creative methods to help young children understand and express their emotions effectively."
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As CoCreators, it's important to pay attention to observable signs and cues in children that provide insights into their emotional well-being. These signs may include their responsiveness to emotions, their ability to self-regulate, their curiosity and engagement in learning, and their social interactions. By paying attention to these indicators, CoCreators can tailor their scaffolding approaches to meet the specific needs of each child, even as they change over the course of development. Such attentiveness helps create a supportive environment that nurtures childrens’ emotional growth and well-being.
Here is what the research says you can do starting today.
Strategies to Foster Emotional Health and Brain Plasticity:
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Of all the things you can do for a child's developing brain, this one is among the most immediate and the most powerful.
Acknowledge and respond to children's emotions in a developmentally appropriate way. Validate their feelings and provide a supportive and safe environment for emotional expression. As Lucinda Sisk emphasizes, “Recognizing and being responsive to childrens’ emotions helps support their own emotional development.”
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This is not about teaching children to suppress what they feel. It is about giving them the tools to move through it.
Support children in developing emotional regulation skills through supportive interactions and modeling. Provide them with tools and strategies to manage and express their emotions effectively.
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Children's brains develop best when they feel safe enough to feel things fully. Here is how you create that.
Foster a safe and nurturing environment that promotes exploration and emotional expression. Create opportunities for children to explore their emotions and encourage open communication.
CoCreator Activity: Emotional Well-being Check-in
This is one of our favorite practices because it asks almost nothing of you and yet shifts everything about how you see a child.
Pick one child in your life. Find two quiet minutes. Ask yourself three things:
What emotions have I noticed in this child lately?
What might be underneath those emotions?
What is one small way I can let them know I see them?
You do not need to act on anything right away. The noticing itself is the practice. And as Dr. Sisk's work shows us, that noticing reaches all the way down into a child's developing brain.
What You Do Every Day is Building Something That Lasts
This is where the science becomes quietly thrilling.
The developing brain is not fixed. It is responsive. It is shaped by experience, by relationship, by the environments caring adults create. That means every ordinary moment you show up for a child, every time you respond with presence instead of reaction, you are doing something that reaches all the way down into the wiring of their brain.
Dr. Sisk calls this brain plasticity. We call it one of the most hopeful things we know.
CoCreators play a crucial role in shaping a child’s developing brain through their interactions, relationships, and environments. They have the power to influence the wiring of the brain and support the development of emotional skills in children."
Lucinda Sisk
CoCreators draw on an understanding of brain development to shape the developing brain by influencing the wiring of the brain through their interactions, relationships, and environments.
CoCreators' understanding of brain plasticity is crucial in recognizing our profound impact on children's emotional health.
It allows us to appreciate that the developing brain is highly adaptable and responsive to experiences. Embracing what we know around brain plasticity, allows us to recognize that our interactions, relationships, and environments are important in shaping the emotional circuitry of the brain. As CoCreators we can create nurturing and supportive environments that foster emotional well-being in children and actively engage in practices that promote positive emotional development and create a lasting impact.
"Emotional experiences have a profound impact on shaping the developing brain. The quality of relationships with caring adults and positive, supportive interactions play a crucial role in wiring the emotional circuitry of the brain." - Lucinda Sisk
Emotional experiences wield tremendous influence over the developing brain.
Listen to learn more about how CoCreators can create a nurturing environment that supports kids’ emotional development.
Through nurturing and responsive interactions, CoCreators can provide the necessary emotional support and guidance that allow children to navigate their emotions effectively. CoCreators play a vital role in shaping the emotional landscape of the developing brain by:
Creating a nurturing environment that supports emotional development by providing love, empathy, and validation, teaching emotional regulation skills, and fostering a safe and supportive atmosphere that allows children to freely express themselves.
Actively teaching children how to identify and manage their emotions, offering coping strategies and mindfulness exercises.
Encouraging open communication, actively listening to children's thoughts and feelings, and providing guidance when needed.
CoCreator Activity: Applying Brain Plasticity Insights
You have just spent time with some of the most important science available to caring adults. This activity is where it becomes real.
It takes what you now understand about brain plasticity and asks one simple question: what is one thing you can do differently this week with a child in your life?
Not everything. Not a new system. Just one thing.
Because that is how practice actually begins.