Perusing this section, you'll find these resources are primarily of two kinds: sex education, and fitness/nutrition. The thing about good health education is that most of it preventative: if you brush your teeth, eat well, exercise, stay pure till marriage, etc. you won't have to worry about a lot of the problems that plague many people.
There's a lot of truth in that, though of course there are plenty of health problems everyone is susceptible to, regardless of their habits. That doesn't mean we should have a fatalistic approach to health, or that we should encourage our kids to be careless. We might not be able to add any days to our lives (as the Bible points out), but we can make those we do have more enjoyable and comfortable.
The ideas we receive as children stick with us and inform our attitudes and behaviour throughout our lives, even if we consciously change our opinion when we get older. For this reason, it's essential we guide our children to sensible living while they're under our direct care and guidance—there's a good chance they'll continue in the same path when they leave home.
One of our favorite sex education series is God's Design for Sex: each volume is age-specific, explicitly Christian, and discreet. There isn't a bunch of information that kids don't need, just answers to common questions and a biblical framework for discussions. The Learning About Sex books are similarly excellent tools for Christian parents to introduce a frequently sensitive and difficult topic.
In the fitness vein, one of the best sellers at Exodus Books is Home School Family Fitness by Dr. Bruce Whitney, now in its 7th edition. The book outlines fitness plans, rules for physical games, and information about strength, aerobic, and endurance training. We Win! is also for Christian homeschoolers, and focuses on less strenuous activities for the whole family.
Books about sickness (how it's caught and how to avoid it), food, hiking, safety and first aid, etc., all find their place here. Health needn't be a separate subject taught all by itself, but it does need to be addressed; we suggest simply integrating teachable moments throughout the day. In the end, we don't maintain good health for our own sakes, but for the good of the God who saves us; it's important we teach that to kids, too.
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Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur.Read more of his reviews here.
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