How to Crack Your Peanut

Book excerpt: Give Kids the Tools They Need to Control Their Emotions. Allison Edwards' How to Crack Your Peanut helps kids understand why they sometimes lose control and make bad decisions. When kids learn how the brain works, they can begin to listen to their bodies and control their emotions. Diego doesn't understand why he always seems to lose his temper and lash out at people. He begins to feel like something is wrong with him and wonders if he is a bad kid. With the help of his counselor, Dr. B, Diego learns that the reason he acts the way he does is because of a peanut-shaped part of his brain called the amygdala. Once he discovers how his brain works, Diego understands why his body feels out of control when he is angry or overwhelmed. Will the three tricks he learns from Dr. B help him keep his peanut calm, cool, and collected? This gentle introduction to emotion regulation will help children realize they are not bad kids who make bad choices. They are good kids who can learn to control their emotions and make better choices, no matter the situation.