Teaching Our Kids To Trust Their Bodies by Dr. Kelly Fortier
Hi, I am Dr. Kelly and I am a mom of 3 little cuties! I own Uptown Chiropractic in Fredericton, NB with my husband, Dr. Jay (although I call him Jay, or babe!) and we have a lot of fun doing it!
Photo by Heart and Soul by LeGoff Photography
I love working with families, helping them reach health goals and I especially love working with kids. They say that laughter is a sign of a happy workplace, and let me tell you, we laugh a lot! I hope you enjoy this blog post as much as I did writing it.
As a parent, my life has been forever changed. I never knew a love quite like that which exists between a mom and her babies. I feel it now more than ever to work on, and improve myself so I can be my best version for them. I hope that they will model that and become the best versions of THEMselves.
Photo by Madison Massey Photography
One of the big things that I am constantly working on is how I speak to my kids. What words do I say, how do I frame it? How do I help set them up to be the confident, resourceful, creative little beings I know they can be?
As a Chiropractor, I found the philosophy behind its principles regarding health and life in general, so beautiful and empowering. Teaching my kids that their body has an innate desire to be healthy and vibrant has become my framework.
I'd love to share some of the things I have been mindful of when speaking got my kids when it comes to health and healing.
When we refer to foods, we refer them to "growing food" or (healthys) and treats. I actually heard the phrase from a chiro friend of mine and thought it was brilliant. My kids often say they have to eat their "healthys" and understand the concept that food is a huge part of being healthy. They grasp the concept that if a food literally grows and dies, it's probably good to eat. Don't get me wrong, it isn't always easy to get my 3 year old to eat his growing foods, but it's the concept we are going for. :)
Photo by Madison Massey Photography
Brushing our teeth- it isn't to "prevent cavities", it's to have our teeth be happy and healthy and scrub them clean! I want them to do healthy habits for positive reasons, not to scare them into doing something out of fear. Ie." if you don't brush your teeth, you will get cavities and your teeth will fall out".
There is an innate, inborn wisdom that exists in all living things that is coordinated through the nervous system. It controls every cell, tissue and organ function. It allows us to smile, cry, run, jump and play. It allows us to create new life! It's pretty amazing when you really think about it.
Photo by Mag Hood Photography
Getting adjusted is a big part of our healthy routine. Telling our kids that our bodies need to move and each little spine should wiggle freely so our brains are as happy as possible- this is a big part of not just what we do at work, but extends into our home.
Photo by Madison Massey Photography
Instilling healthy habits should come form a place of encouragement, empowerment and course, FUN! Having a large pediatric base at our office, this is something we are extremely passionate about.
How can you flip how you speak to your kids? How about yourself?
Remember, HAVE FUN!
- Dr. Kelly
Photo by Mag Hood Photography