Parents often worry about the words children hear from classmates, social media, and the outside world. But physician and author Dr. Tiffanie Tate says one of the most influential voices children will ever hear is the one they eventually develop inside their own minds.
“Children are always listening, especially to the words that become part of their own identity,” Tate said. “The way we speak to them, and teach them to speak to themselves, can either strengthen their confidence or quietly erode it. Words have the power to wound, but they also have the power to heal.”
Her children’s picture book, Perfectly Perfect, helps parents, caregivers, and educators begin those conversations with an age-appropriate story that explores friendship, bullying, apology, self-image, and the lifelong importance of choosing words that heal rather than harm.
Written for children under 12, Perfectly Perfect uses rhythmic language and a relatable story of friendship to introduce big ideas in small, accessible ways. When a young girl begins to feel unhappy with her body and stops eating, her friends step in with compassion, helping her see what she cannot: that her value has never been in question.
“The ‘perfect trap’ is a public health issue,” Tate said. “Too many children seem to be suffering from image issues from social media. It’s time for us to rewrite self-worth in this age of pressure, comparison and mental health crises.”
Designed as both a story and a conversation starter, the book gives parents, caregivers and educators a framework for discussing self-image, disordered eating and self-worth.
Wyoming Star agrees, writing, “Perfectly Perfect is aimed as much at adults as it is at children. It quietly redirects attention back to the environment children are growing up in. It encourages parents to approach sensitive topics like eating habits with ‘calm curiosity’ rather than pressure, and to focus on function (how the body grows, plays, and thinks) rather than appearance. The emphasis is less on correcting behavior and more on reshaping the framework through which children interpret themselves.”
With themes of kindness, empathy and confidence, Perfectly Perfect encourages children to support one another and to recognize their own worth from the very beginning.
“Perfectly Perfect is about raising healthier humans,” Tate added. “The story helps children understand they do not have to earn their value; they already have it.”
Perfectly Perfect is Tate’s latest children’s title, following Bad Touching, which teaches age-appropriate lessons about personal safety; Little Engine Mia Sings, which addresses bullying; and Money Matters, which introduces financial literacy concepts to young readers.
Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing
ISBN-13: 979-8896378952
Available from https://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Perfect-Dr-Tiffanie-Tate/dp/B0GR1XLKPQ
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Originally from Compton, California, Dr. Tiffanie Tate is a Christian, mother, servant, listener, and retired OB/GYN. She served as a medical officer in the U.S. Navy during the Global War on Terror. A volunteer within her local community, she provides lectures to students, family practice residents, and other organizations and groups.
In addition to her children’s books, she is also the author of FloweTry: A Collection of 108 Poetic Flows on Life, Love, and Liturgical Issues. She is currently a co-host on the once-weekly NBC morning podcast/radio show, “Doctors In The House,” on Wednesday mornings on AM 1050/FM 106.5, with replays available on YouTube.
She is the Democratic- and VoteVets-endorsed candidate for California State Senate District 32.
For more information, please visit https://drtiffanietate.com/, or find the author on Instagram (@drtiffanietatemoore) and LinkedIn (http://linkedin.com/in/dr-tiffanie-tate-76a35666).