Stick that in your mouth and chew it!

We first started implementing a constant supply of sugar-free gum in our home after reading the "Connected Child" by Karyn B. Purvis. Her crew at TCU work specifically with attachment disorder, and they have found great value in chewing gum. It has calming effects (for the chewer - not for the parent listening to her five kids smacking!).

Anywho, my sweet friend, Paula, gives me all of her old copies of "Eating Well" ... I say that to explain why I'm just now reading the October 2007 issue! In it, they give a nod to a study on the benefits of chewing gum (which I take with a grain of salt - seeing how it is from the Wrigley Science Institute, created by - you guessed it - Wrigley's!). I put much more stock in Dr. Purvis. However, their little study did suggest that gum-chewers "performed better than non-chewers on a memory test."

Apparently, the process of chewing jacks up the amount of blood that is pumped to your brain. It's a theory, anyway.

All I do know is that there are times that I actually prescribe sugarless gum to my kids ... especially before we start into any deliberate schoolwork. If one of them is stressing or getting near rage level, I send them to grab a piece.

So, while most teachers in organized classrooms have to outlaw the little sticks of yum, I would suggest that homeschoolers add it to their repertoire ... not only for when they're kids are working through a difficult task, but when you are trying to assist, encourage, or otherwise berate walk with them through said task ... or subject ... or chore!! It works for mom, too.