Reparenting the Child Who Hurts equips parents and primary carers with the knowledge and skills to be able to respond to children's changing needs as they move through childhood. In clear, approachable language, it explains the impact of early trauma on the neuro-biological development of children, and provides clear guidance for foster and adoptive parents.By using simple visual metaphors, Caroline Archer and Christine Gordon explain neurobiological processes in terms that are easily understood and remembered: of building a house (with the brain having 'storeys'), and of reparenting techniques being similar to the process of knitting. Within the second metaphor, they explain how we learn how to parent according to the 'patterns' we have inherited, and how children who have experienced early trauma and developed the 'wrong patterns' need careful 're-stitching'. This book aims to provide parents and carers with a full understanding of the issues behind children's behaviour, and in doing so to become better 'regulators' of their own and their children's physiological and emotional environments.This book will be an invaluable resource for foster and adoptive parents, and will also be of interest to counsellors and social workers working with substitute families.
Part 1. Stepping Forward: Understanding the Foundations. 1. Knitting Your Kid! Patterns of Knitting and Nurturing. 2. Fitting the Pieces Together. Part 2. What Can We Do? 3. Key Concepts. 4. Information: The Need to Know. 5. Laying the Foundations: Co-regulation for Self-regulation. 6. Rocking and Rolling. 7. Seeing Eye to Eye. 8. Object Permanence and Constancy. 9. Talking, Telling, Timing. 10. Loose Connections. 11. The Child Within the Child. 12. Taking, Borrowing and Difficulties with the Truth. 13. Making Changes, Managing Changes. 14. Special Occasions. 15. Holidays. 16. Siblings. 17. Taking Care of Ourselves. 18. Getting Help. Appendices. Glossary. Index.
'This exciting new book by the authors of ''New Families, Old Scripts'' starts from the latest findings on brain development from the field of neuroscience and how this information is central to understanding the principles of ''developmentally reparenting'' children who have experienced a traumatic start in their early life. The book is both informative, presenting scientific information in an accessible format and instructive, giving countless practical examples and scenarios which can be used by parents and professionals alike. The principles of ''developmental reparenting'' are spelt out throughout each chapter of the book. Adoptive parents and foster carers are encouraged to look at their own attachment history to make sense of their relationship with their children. Readers are encouraged to ''practice'' changing their mindset to PARCEL ( being playful, accepting ,responsive, curious, empathetic and loving) when parenting traumatised children. This book is a great resource for both parents who are parenting vulnerable traumatised children and those professionals who are supporting them.' - Fiona Lettice, adoptive parent
