getting kids to talk |

Pulling radishes from our yard garden this week, the kids initially made faces at the gnarly misshapen not-perfectly-rounded shapes so dramatically different from the perfection seen at the stores. But a few minutes later, the first crunches into the delectably tasting produce that melt in their mouth with a rainbow of flavors, there was no further complaint. In fact, the ten years old started a conversation on how this is similar to people – we are all different and that is a great thing!

Farmers markets are all around us – and they often display things that are not perfect in the classic sense of the word, but are perfection in the context of nutritious and delicious.

Did you know that a landmark study on this was done in 2004 by University of Texas team led by Donald Davis and published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. They studied U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional data from both 1950 and 1999 for 43 different vegetables and fruits, finding “reliable declines” in the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C over the past half century. This declining nutritional content is linked to the wide adoption of agricultural practices designed to improve appearance, size, growth rate and pest resistance with little effort focusing on nutrition.

“Crops can grow bigger and more rapidly,” reported Davis, “but their ability to manufacture or uptake nutrients has not kept pace with their rapid growth.”

The resurgence of the 100 miles diet, urban farming and farmers markets gives me hope – and so is the concrete example that this teaches our kids that what is not perfectly pretty is actually truly beautiful.

You can find a farmers market near you, using the Farmers’ Markets Canada Association.

Alexandra T. Greenhill, physician mom CEO myBestHelper

This Sunday, May 5 takes place Canada’s largest event supporting child and youth mental health and well-being – a “Walk So Kids Can Talk” – and you can do so whether in one of their many locations across Canada or even – so innovative – by “walking” virtually!

Getting kids to talk about what they dream or worry about is not easy. How many of you can relate to the experience of asking “So what happened at school today?” and getting in exchange “Nothing” or even just a head shake?

Dr. Laura Markham, a clinical psychologist, recommends asking more specific questions such as “What was the best thing about school today?,” “Do the kids at school ever talk about boyfriends and girlfriends?,” “Who did you sit with at lunch today?” or“How did the soccer game go at recess?”. Her blog post is full of other great suggestions.

One sure way of getting kids to talk is to engage them on an activity – whether walking in the park, driving somewhere, working on a project or in the garden – and just commit to listening. This could be called “How to listen so kids will talk”. When not focusing on conversation, words often spontaneously come to them, and if not interrupted or judged, so many observations, questions and descriptions start pouring out of them.

The other way I have come to love is something we discovered at the front of the popular Thea Stilton Sisters kids books series, the five super friends of the adventurous cousin of Geronimo Stilton: the five main characters had a card describing their secret likes, their qualities and weaknesses, their secret powers, dreams and passions. Then a page followed inviting the owner of the book to fill in their own, which my kids did. Surprising, charming and fascinating, out came ideas I had no idea they had!

Whatever the method, kids need to have a chance to share their thinking and feelings – connect especially to a grown up who can help them celebrate their originality or get the necessary perspective.

Sometimes, even someone who they have never met and will never meet, but available to listen just when they need to speak, can save their dreams and lives. So this Sunday – be it in person or virtually, consider walking so kids can keep talking.

Alexandra T. Greenhill, MOM, MD, CEO and Co-founder myBestHelper