My Brain (Guard Dog and Wise Old Owl)

What happens in our brain when we are mindful? We learned about a few parts of our amazing brains:

Guard Dog (Amygdala) – part of our brain that helps protect us (if we touch a hot pan, it tells us to move our hand quickly)

Wise Old Owl (Prefrontal Cortex) – part of our brain that helps us to make good choices, be a good friend, stay focused, etc.

We learned that sometimes our Guard Dog is “barking” when we are not really in danger (before a test, when someone is bothering us, when we’re tired, etc.) and that this can make it difficult for the Wise Old Owl to do its job.

***Mindfulness can help calm the Guard Dog down so the Wise Old Owl can make good choices.***

Family Challenge: Try to notice your guard dog is barking when it doesn’t need to be. Take a few mindful breaths. Can you calm down a bit and make a good decision about what to do next?