All of us hear about the importance of a healthy lifestyle including good nutrition and exercise. While it is a simple concept, it is usually challenging to implement. However, for children from hard places, it is critical for their well-being that we are mindful of their nutrition and opportunities for sensory input. Let’s take a moment to focus on nutritional needs of our kids. Our rule of thumb is that our kids need nutrition and hydration EVERY 2-3 HOURS. We stress this timeframe because our kids are often very sensitive to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Missing these opportunities for nutrition can lead to behavioral “meltdowns” and other challenging behaviors.

For additional information about nutrition for kids from hard places, consider www.adoptionnutrition.org which is a website created by the Spoon Foundation and the Joint Council on International Children’s Services. Another resource created by the Empowered to Connect team is a video entitled “Engaging Food Battles with Connection in Mind”

Just another opportunity to embrace the needs of our kids and meet them where they are!
Sheryl Findley, M.S.

Email: sheryl@papillioncenter.org