My top 4 favorite children’s books for better health
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. You can lead kids to vegetables, but you can’t make them eat (easily/regularly at least).
I can “blab on and on” (as my kids say I do) about healthy behaviors, but until they are self-motivated, these behaviors are not going to stick in their lives. Like with any behavior, it is helpful to have an understanding of WHY the behavior is important & the HOW to do it. That’s why I love the following 4 books, they increase knowledge (which increases motivation) AND simplifies the behaviors so they are easy to implement (increases confidence). While they are designed for kids, I think they are great for any age!
1. Captain Snout and the Super Power Questions by Dr. Amen is a new one to our collection, and it is long overdue. Think how often our own negative thoughts get in our way. Negative thoughts have too much power in our lives even as adults! The best time to change these thought behaviors is before they are too ingrained. Think of a river carving out a mountain, it gets harder and harder to change thought patterns, but it’s never too late to start! This book helps bring these negative thoughts to awareness and gives the tools to change them.
2. Eat Like a Dinosaur by the Paleo Parents was a game changer for our family when we switched to a nutrient dense diet (vs the standard American diet/SAD). It is well loved as you can see by the picture. Half of the pages are sticky or falling out. Instead of me nagging my kids on what to eat, this book empowers them to make meals that fuel their bodies instead of slowing them down. I’m not going to lie, letting go of control in the kitchen was a bit hard for me, but the reward of independent cooks is well worth the time (and mess) investment!
3. Buddies in My Belly by Sarah Morgan and Henry Bell is an adorable way to grasp a really complicated concept. Our gut microbiome is crucial to our physical and mental health. What we feed our “buddies,” gut bacteria, has a profound impact on our lives. This book increases knowledge about some of the bacteria in our gut, why they are important and gives practical tips to take ownership of food choices to care for the buddies in the belly. You care for the buddies and they help take care of you.
4. Good Night Yoga by Mariam Gates is a sweet bedtime routine for kids. My kids’ lives are filled with stimulation and technology, which can make it hard for their minds to shut off. Adding intentional time to be present in the mind/body with purposeful breathing can help activate our body’s calming system (parasympathetic system) which is a great transition to peaceful sleep. I can’t stress enough how important QUALITY sleep is!! Doesn’t quality sleep sound nice no matter what age you are??
Have you read any of these? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Until next time, remember, I’m cheering for you!
-Coach Tracie