The downstairs brain, marked by intense emotions and sensations, is fully built and functioning in young children. But the upstairs brain is under construction well into a person’s twenties. Talk about lag time! No wonder children often struggle with future planning, self-reflection, and empathy—these are all part of the upstairs brain. It’s important to remember: When kids are overwhelmed with emotion and unable to regulate and make good decisions, this is developmentally normal. Exhausting and totally inconvenient for parents, yes, but normal.
