Blog Archive
Posts tagged with Responding to Comments
Being thoughtful about weight, dieting, and body talk around your child is not being too sensitive, and it does not teach your child to be fragile. These messages can shape how kids think about food, health, and their bodies, while eating disorders can have serious and even deadly consequences.
Boys can struggle with body image even when they do not talk about it openly. As a parent, you can help by watching for changes in eating or exercise, listening without judgment, and avoiding comments that place value on body size or muscularity. If these concerns cause distress or begin interfering with daily life, reach…
If you’ve decided to stop diet and weight talk in your home, you may start noticing something uncomfortable. Other adults your child loves and looks up to may not know how powerful their words about food, bodies, and exercise can be.
Comments about weight show up in everyday life more often than we realize. They slip into compliments, jokes, health conversations, and even the way adults talk about their own bodies. Most of the time, these comments are unintentional, shaped by the language many of us grew up hearing. For kids, though, these moments matter.
Diet talk is everywhere. It shows up at family gatherings, on social media, in TV shows, and in the tiny comments we make without thinking. It is so common that many adults are not even aware they are doing it.
It can feel uncertain when your child tells you someone called them “fat.” Before rushing in to fix it, take a breath. This is your chance to help your child build confidence, resilience, and a healthy relationship with their body.
It can feel unsettling when a doctor tells you your child needs to lose or gain weight. You want to trust your provider. You also want to protect your child’s physical and mental health. And in a culture that constantly focuses on weight, it can be hard to know what the right next step is.
Holiday tables are often full of warmth, tradition, and holiday diet talk kids soak up. If you have ever frozen when someone comments on bodies or “being good” with food, you are not alone.
When kids or adults ask, “Is being fat a bad thing?” they’re not just asking about a word—they’re asking about identity, respect, and how we talk about bodies. In a world full of confusing messages about appearance and health, it’s important to unpack this question with care and clarity.
As a mom with little ones running around, I usually realize I'm a bit late to the party when it comes to catching onto what's trendy (although I'm always up to speed on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce – they pretty much occupy all my spare pop culture time). And when it comes to Gen…