Knowledge Day for Parents: Teach Children to Count, Write, Retell, Think, and Support the Gut-Microbiome-Brain Axis with a Fiber-Rich Diet 

As parents, we're always looking for ways to help our children develop—whether it's teaching them math, writing, storytelling , or critical thinking. But did you know that your child's nutrition can play a critical role in their brain and cognitive development?

Welcome to Parenting Knowledge Day, where we will look at how the gut microbiome – the trillions of tiny microbes that live in your child’s digestive system – can affect brain function through the "gut-brain" axis.

Additionally, we will share practical tips for implementing a high-fiber diet to support both the gut and the developing mind, backed by scientific evidence.

The gut-brain axis: your child's second brain

The gut-brain axis is like a highway under a microscope that connects a child's digestive system to their brain. This two-way communication network spans the nervous system, hormones, and immune system, allowing gut microbes to influence mood, behavior, and cognitive development.

Scientists call the large intestine the "second brain" because it contains 200 to 600 million neurons and produces 95% of the body's serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and learning.

Research shows that the gut microbiome develops rapidly from birth to three years of age, making early childhood a critically important period for shaping brain health.

For example, a 2018 study found that the gut microbiome at age one can predict cognitive and language skills at age two, especially in boys.

Another study conducted in 2021 found that toddlers with higher levels of Bacteroides bacteria in their gut between the ages of one and two had better language and cognitive skills, although this was only an association and not proof of causation.

Why is this important?

A healthy gut microbiome promotes brain development, helping your child concentrate, learn to manage their own emotions and understand other people, and even improve, if necessary, or maintain their eating habits on an ongoing basis.

Disruption of the gut microbiota , known as dysbiosis, has been linked to conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, anxiety, SIBO, Crohn's disease, diabetes, and even cancer in children.

By taking care of your child's gut health, you are creating the conditions for sharper thinking, memorization, and storytelling, stronger problem-solving skills, and without a doubt, nurturing and shaping the immunity of the future personality.

Why Fiber Is a Superfood for Your Child's Brain

Nutrition is one of the most important factors shaping the gut microbiome, and fiber is its main superstar.

Dietary fiber found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes, sprouts, and microgreens is not completely digested by the human body in the small intestine and stomach, but is food for beneficial intestinal bacteria in the large intestine of the gastrointestinal tract.

When these microbes ferment fiber , they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, butyrate, and propionate.

These compounds reduce intestinal inflammation, strengthen the brain's blood-brain barrier, and even affect learning and memory.

A 2021 study found that fiber promotes microbial diversity, which is linked to improved gut and brain health.

Children may have a less diverse microbiome if their diet is low in fiber and high in processed refined foods with added sugar and other "healthy and tasty" additives.

Such nutrition promotes the growth of harmful bacteria, and therefore can negatively affect mood and cognitive abilities, and the immune system in general.

Conversely, a diet high in fiber and low in refined processed foods promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, which help improve mood and brain function.

Teaching children arithmetic, writing , storytelling and thinking

While a diet rich in fiber supports the gut-brain axis, teaching a child basic skills such as counting, handwriting, paraphrasing, and critical thinking expands their cognitive arsenal.

Here's how these skills are related to brain health and how they can be integrated into everyday life:

- Counting: Math skills like counting develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills that support a healthy gut-brain axis. Offer your child engaging activities, such as counting fruit during snack time or sorting vegetables by color, to reinforce both math knowledge and healthy eating skills.

- Handwriting or writing : Putting thoughts and words on paper helps children process their emotions, memories, express ideas, and remember better. As you may already know, International Handwriting Day or Handwriting Day is celebrated every year on January 23.

Ukrainian Writing and Language Day is a holiday of the development of the state language, which is celebrated in Ukraine every year on October 27.

In the church calendar according to the new style, it is a day of honoring the memory of the Venerable Nestor the Chronicler, a follower of the creators of Slavic writing, Cyril and Methodius.

The holiday was established on October 27, 1997, when, in support of the initiative of public organizations and taking into account the important role of the Ukrainian language in the consolidation of Ukrainian society, the President of Ukraine issued Decree No. 1241/97 "On the Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language".

This holiday is designed to remind parents of the importance and uniqueness of handwritten text in the digital age.

In the context of the spread of digital technologies, the WORD on paper plays a unique role in self-expression and culture, emphasizing the positive impact of handwriting on the development of memory, motor skills, and creative thinking in children.

A letter from a 7-year-old boy to his parents from the hospital. He asks for a pen and a paper notebook.

A 2013 study found that cognitive development in preschoolers predicts later academic success, and a balanced microbiome can improve attention spans on tasks like writing.

Try asking your child to write a short story about their favorite healthy dish to connect creativity with nutrition.

– Paraphrasing: Paraphrasing means retelling or interpreting a text or information in other words that retains the main meaning but is not a literal copy of the original. Retelling stories by a child improves memory and understanding.

A letter from a 14-year-old boy on paper in blue pen to his parents. He spent his summer vacation in the village with his grandmothers. In his letter, he shares and compares the cucumber harvest of one grandmother and another grandmother.

According to a 2023 study, the hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory, is influenced by gut microbiota.

Invite your child to retell a story about a trip to the farmers market, linking storytelling skills to understanding the characteristics of food. What are the differences in the tastes of vegetables, for example, root vegetables such as celery, beets, and carrots.

Think together about why these vegetables not only have different colors but also complement their content of beneficial nutrients for the gut microbiome, especially when cooked raw rather than fried.

- Thinking: Critical thinking involves analyzing and solving problems.

A diet rich in fiber may reduce inflammation, which can impair cognitive processes such as thinking, as shown in a 2020 study.

Play "what if" games, such as "What if we make a smoothie with spinach and berries or broccoli sprouts with a banana and an apple?" to spark creativity and discuss healthy foods.

Practical tips for increasing fiber intake

Getting kids to eat more fiber can be challenging, especially when healthy eating habits haven't been discussed at family meetings, and fast food and other unhealthy snacks with added sugar have quietly taken over your child's regular diet.

Parents need to introduce fiber consumption as part of their own family diet. traditional medicine since childhood.

Here are science-based and kid-friendly tips for making fiber a healthy, exciting, and delicious habit:

1. Add bright colors: Use the “Eat the Rainbow” approach to incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet. For example, add wheat germ and spinach to a green smoothie with bananas, or offer leafy green celery, carrot or beetroot sticks, or cucumber sticks with homemade hummus. A 2025 article suggests that a variety of bright foods promote microbial diversity.

2. Add whole grains: Swap white bread for whole grain or add oatmeal or whole grain homemade oat flour to your pancakes. A 2020 study found that whole grains like rye, oats, and wheat can improve cognitive function and mood in adults, and similar benefits are likely to be seen in children.

3. Involve your children in cooking: Let your child help you prepare fiber-rich dishes, such as a vegetarian stew or healthy homemade hummus. You can make it together at home, for example, from a mixture of different legumes: sprouted chickpeas, peas, add different colored beans and green and dark green beans for color.

A 2023 study found that cooking programs increase food literacy and build healthy eating habits in children.

4. Offer foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics: Pair fiber-rich foods with probiotics, such as homemade yogurt or plant-based kefir , which contain live bacteria and no added sugar. Pair with prebiotics, such as garlic or onions, which feed the good bacteria. As noted in a 2023 source, they support a balanced microbiome.

5. Model healthy eating: Children often copy their parents' food choices.

A 2022 study showed that parental influence has a strong impact on children's eating behavior, so eat fiber-rich foods as a family. Remove unhealthy snacks from easy-to-reach places and replace them with berries, fruits, nuts, and other seasonal fiber.

Opinion

While fiber is beneficial, introduce it gradually to avoid digestive discomfort, especially if your child's diet was low in fiber. Also, make sure to eat a balanced diet, as a purely vegetarian or vegan diet without proper planning and experience can lead to deficiencies in nutrients like vitamin B12 or omega-3, which are vital for brain health.

Consult a pediatrician, dietitian, or nutritionist if you are unsure about your child's nutritional needs or if you need to address another issue and don't know where to start.

The big picture

By teaching your child to count, write, retell, and think, you are laying the foundation for cognitive skills. By prioritizing a diet rich in fiber, you are nurturing the gut microbiome, which supports the brain through the gut-brain axis.

Joint efforts will help your child grow up to be a curious, creative, and healthy person.

So, on this Day of Knowledge, take some time to analyze and plan your additional role in the family to gradually shape your child's fundamental natural immunity , mind, and body of your child.

Try a new fiber-rich recipe together, play a counting game with apple slices, sprout oat sprouts of different sizes, or retell a story about a “gut superhero.”

With every bite and every lesson, you help your child maintain immunity, develop, and become an individual with healthy choices and consumption habits.

Step by step, you will prepare your child for independent living, external resistance to not-so-healthy fashion, and a conscious choice to consume delicious food rich in essential macro and micronutrients.

Year after year, you will learn together with your child so that even at 73 years old, you will be called the best mom or dad in the world.

Sources. References

1. Carlson, A. L. et al. (2018). The infant gut microbiome and its relationship to cognitive development. Biological Psychiatry.

2. Tamana, S. K. et al. (2021). Gut microbiomes with a huge predominance of Bacteroides in late childhood are associated with accelerated nervous system development. Gut Microbiome.

3. Ahn, R. et al. (2013). The role of nutrition in children's neurocognitive development from pregnancy to childhood. PMC.

4. Berding, K. et al. (2021). Keeping up with the times: fiber, cognitive function, and the microbiota-gut-brain axis. PMC.

5. Cryan, J. F. et al. (2018). In the brain-gut-microbiome. PMC.

6. Jena, A. et al. (2020). The gut-brain axis in the early postnatal years of life: a developmental perspective. Advances in integrative neuroscience.

7. The author's own experience and observations