Why 7-year-old Chloe didn’t want to be a “tough cookie”

Why 7-year-old Chloe didn’t want to be a “tough cookie”

« Part 9 of The Amen Solution: Tools to end emotional overeating

Recently my wife Tana and our daughter took a long hike near our home. It was a bit more strenuous than we had planned, but Chloe, our 7-year-old, was a trooper and kept up and she held on to the dog, Tinkerbell’s leash.

Near the end of the hike Tana told Chloe that she was a “tough cookie.” Immediately, Chloe took exception.


“I don’t want to be a tough cookie,” she said. “I want to be a tough red bell pepper.”

Not wanting to miss the metaphor to health, we all agreed that day that Chloe was indeed a “tough red bell pepper.” Kids say the strangest things. Red bell peppers happen to be one of her favorite snacks, especially with mashed avocados or almond butter.

Think about the words you use with your loved ones. Do you call them “sweetie pie,” “honey,” or “sugar?” These nicknames insidiously reinforce our habit of associating things that are sweet with being “good” even though research shows us that sweets are actually bad for the brain and harmful to our health and well-being.

The next time you want to show someone how much you care about them, call them “red bell pepper,” “hummus,” or even “avocado.” It might seem silly at first, but it will get you both thinking about things that are good for your brain and body.

Dr. Amen's Blog

This entry was written by Dr. Amen, posted on March 8, 2011 at 9:00 am, filed under Nutrition and tagged nicknames.