Wouldn’t it be cool if you had the ingredients to whip up a magical potion that could cure your kids of their behavioral woes? I’ve got just the thing! It’s called organic, non-GMO fresh produce. You’d be surprised at the enormity of the connection between what you put in your mouth, and the resulting behaviors and moods produced by your body.
An Awesome Mom’s Question
Dear Deborah,
How did you teach kids the connection between what they eat and how they feel? We have all these foods available to kids that are not good, and that they’re hooked on them. They’re full of preservatives, full of colors, and not the good color like from actual whole food.
People think that the developing brain, and behavior, are completely unrelated, whether it’s stress, or anxiety, or acting out, or shutting down, or whatever it may be. How do we help kids educate themselves on that connection?
Parenting Advice for Awesome Moms On
Having “The Talk” (About Nutrition)
When Awesome Moms come to me to discuss their Awesome Kids’ less than awesome behavior, I ask about 2 things:
- Are they getting enough sleep?
- What kinds of foods are they consuming?
Most people don’t recognize the direct correlation between what you eat and how you act, but I’ve seen it first hand. So has every teacher whose school is on a rotating schedule.
When you see the same group of kids at the same time every day, the food-related changes are mistaken for the overall personality of the class.
But, on a rotating schedule, sometimes you see the same group of kids 1st Period (after breakfast), or during the period following lunch. The behavior on those days is significantly different, including a bit of extra exuberance, along with some added irritability.
What’s really interesting is when they come to you two periods after lunch… once they’ve crashed from the added sugars and chemicals in their midday food.
I had a chance to discuss this with the host of Rock Bottom Wellness: Your One Stop Shop for the Lowdown on Root-Cause Nutrition, board-certified nutritionist, thyroid expert, and Awesome Mom, Tiffany Flaten.
Make yourself comfortable and give a listen.
Rock Bottom Wellness Podcast:
Helping Our Daughters Thrive With Proper Nutrition
with Deborah Ann Davis
Find out how to help your kids thrive with proper nutrition.
Looking for something specific? Use the timestamps:
4:35 How Does Nutrition Play a Part in Students’ Lives?*
11:50 How Do You Educate Kids on Their Own Health?
24:05 Stress Symptoms or Food Additives?
44:45 Conversation Starters to Connect With Your Kids
(*I misspoke when I called it Cowper’s Protocol. It’s actually Cowden’s Protocol.)
Providing healthy foods for your family takes time, planning, and determination. (It also can cost more to buy organically.) I don’t want you to get overwhelmed by the task, so just change one thing this week. Just One Thing.
You can start by replacing processed after-school snacks (once they run out) with organic fruit that you leave out for them. Just tell the complainers that, sorry, but you’ve run out of the usual snack, however, they are welcome to partake in the fruit. They’ll come around if that’s all that’s around.
Once that first change feels comfortable, change a second thing. Try unshelled nuts and a nutcracker, or popping organic popcorn. Like I said, they’ll come around if that’s all that’s around.
That’s how we change our lives… one baby step at a time.
You definitely got this, Awesome Mom!
Have fun with your kids today!
Happily,
Deborah
About the Author
Deborah Ann Davis (B.S. in Science Education, M.Ed. in Supervision, and W.I.T.S Personal Trainer Certified) is a parenting strategist and coach.
Whether you’re looking to bring more positivity into your life, or you’re ready to seek the advice of a Parenting Coach, she’s eager to help you put happiness back into parenting.
Deborah has decades of experience dealing with teenagers – as a mother, and as an educator. Over the years, she has helped hundreds of families, using her expertise and experience.
Learn how to improve your mother-daughter relationship today. Every minute you delay prolongs the isolation your child feels while disconnected from you. She’s waiting for you to figure it out, so why not skip the “trial and error” route?
Don’t forget to book your Free Chat.
