How we work
The body keeps a budget
In shortSleep, hunger, illness and long days use up the body's energy, so the same request can cost far more on a bad day.
The idea
The brain manages the body’s energy by anticipating what will be needed: eating, sleeping, moving, getting through a task. When sleep, hunger, illness or days of effort weigh on this budget, the same request can cost much more. It is a useful way of thinking about why the same child reacts differently to the same thing on different days.
What to try
- In the timeline, also note sleep, food and what happened earlier in the day.
- Plan the hardest parts for when the child is rested.
- Compare days: what was different about the days that went well?
The common mistake
Looking only at the moment of the reaction and not at the day that came before.
Want to know more?
Start here
Short, plain pieces by the researchers and good writers.
Books
Short and accessible for parents: the brain predicts, manages the body’s budget and is shaped with others.
See on Amazon ›Amazon links are affiliate links: if you buy, Bounded Uncertainty receives a small commission at no cost to you.
The science behind itHow strong the evidence is, the model, videos and references.
How strong the evidence is
A way of thinking A lens for interpreting what a child does, not a rule from trials.
External videos, chosen because they agree with these ideas. Bounded Uncertainty has no link to the channels.
References
- Sterling, P. (2012). Allostasis: a model of predictive regulation. Physiology & Behavior, 106(1), 5–15.
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