How To Be As Energetic As Your Kids

Have you ever watched a toddler dashing around the house, literally ricocheting off the walls, and wondered, "How can s/he have so much energy?" Do you really want to know?

After nine years of intensive research the scientists here at the Brooks Institute have come up with the secret formula for youthful energy. And, guess what? You can make this magic formula right in the privacy of your own home! No special equipment needed.

Step 1: Start a bedtime routine an hour before lights out. Turn off the TV, computer, and put your phone on night or quiet mode. Turn the lights down and read a short, quiet book. Alternatively, meditate, listen to quiet music, write in a journal, stare at stars, or read vintage comic books.

Step 2: Go to bed 8-12 hours before the alarm goes off. Start with eight hours. If you wake up feeling tired go to bed fifteen minutes earlier. Adjust your bedtime by fifteen minute increments until you wake up well-rested a few minutes before the alarm goes off.

Step 3: Run everywhere. Have you ever seen a toddler walk somewhere? No. Of course not. Running reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, tones muscle, and makes it so you're always early for everything (if you run fast enough)! In places where you can't run remember to walk fast.


Step 4: Eat the rainbow. We all know Mom dumps everything healthy on a toddler's plate while she sneaks a cookie. There's a food for every color of the rainbow: green grapes, brown bread, yellow cheese, red meat, purple eggplant, orange carrots, indigo... um... forget indigo, you get the point. The average toddler diet is well-balanced, full of nutrients, and fresh fruit and veggie heavy. Their plates are stuffed, but that's fine because they eat off small plates. Built in portion control!

Step 5: Never get stressed. You see that person yelling and screaming and tearing their hair out over the vase you broke? Smile, give them a hug, and say "I love you." Problem solved. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Toddlers know that accidents happen. It doesn't matter what happened as long as you give the person a hug and say sorry afterwards.

Step 6: Enjoy life! Laugh as often as you want. Watch a toddler let loose on the world. Are they pensive? Are they worried? Are they even remotely aware that someone is watching them? Of course not! Toddlers are in the blissful stage where they are aware other people exist, and they vaguely understand that you have emotions, but the idea that might be judging them has never crossed their mind. In their world Toddlers are perfect! They like to learn, and they aren't afraid to get messy, but they will laugh when they want to. Stop letting other people judge you and enjoy life.

Step 7: Get dirty. Really dirty. You can judge how much fun a Toddler had by the amount of dirt at the bottom of the bathtub. If there's an inch of mud trying to drain it was a fantastic day! Don't be afraid of getting sweaty or dirty, soap was invented for a reason.

Step 8: Take a nap! Your body is tired for a reason. There are tons of studies to support napping. Go ahead and Google it... I can wait... See? Over a million results telling you to Take A Nap! It you can't nap carve out fifteen to twenty minutes of down time in the middle of your day. Walk to lunch, turn off the computer, leave your phone behind, put your head down, do whatever it takes to reset your brain midday. I highly recommend ear plugs, especially if the Toddler is still at home and he likes to sing at the top of his lungs while he falls asleep.

Step 9: Surround yourself with positive relationships. Hang out with people who make you happy. Love someone. Let someone love you. Spend time with those people having fun and doing things you love. Share your interests, and don't worry if someone screams because you just handed them a squished spider you captured in the backyard, they're just excited.

Step 10: Respect yourself. You know what? A Toddler won't play with the kid that hits them. They won't be friends with the kid that doesn't share. The whole idea of letting someone hurt you because they're a friend doesn't come into play until after age five (unless there are some serious problems at home). Before age five Toddlers label the Mean Person a MEAN PERSON and walk away. Save your energy for the fun stuff and get out of abusive relationships.


Step 11: Have fun with your work! Sing a song while you clean, dance while you put clothes away, party while you scrub the floor. Sure, the boring way gets things done faster, but is getting the work done two minutes sooner worth the soul-sucking misery of doing things the boring way? Of course not! Whatever the job is, have fun!


Eleven little steps to live and have the energy of a Toddler!!! Wearing buckets on your head and jumping on the couch is completely optional.