In this two-part episode, fellow anti-diet mom Virginia Sole-Smith and I discuss the ways in which culture sabotages parents, especially moms, by upholding unhelpful beliefs about food and weight.
Tune in where we discuss how to handle unwelcome comments about our kids’ bodies or food choices, what to do when they say “fat,” and how to model body positivity. Plus I share some of my best tips for parents in setting boundaries with love and kindness. You’ll also hear me talk about the “back off” Lunch Box card by The Feeding Doctor, Katja Rowell, MD and I share my experiences with my kids eating at school.
Listen to Episode 127:
Links mentioned
The Feeding Doctor’s Lunch Box “Back Off” note
Leslie Schilling’s completed “back off” card on Facebook and available in Born to Eat book.
Here’s a few of Virginia’s recent articles on higher weight fertility, higher weight eating disorders, and the Kurbo weight loss app for kids:
New York Times Magazine: When You’re Told You’re Too Fat to Get Pregnant
Elemental: Who’s Considered Thin Enough for Eating Disorder Treatment?
New York Times: A New Weight Watchers App for Kids Raises Concerns
Did you miss Part 1 of “Please don’t screw up our kids?”
Virginia shares her rock bottom moment of what it took to finally give her daughter chocolate milk and why she had to unlearn much of what she learned from culture, her childhood, and her work as a writer and editor within the health and beauty industry. Listen to the episode and check out the show notes here.
If you’d like more parenting support, check out the Body Kindness episodes I have flagged as best for parents. Body Kindness and The Eating Instinct books can help you make sense of culture, personal values, and finding a workable path for your family. I’m available for 1/1 virtual counseling if you think tailored support could make a difference in your life. Request a time at www.capitolnutritiongroup.com.
About Virginia
Virginia Sole-Smith is a feminist writer and the author of The Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image and Guilt in America. She’s also a contributing editor with Parents Magazine and co-hosts the Comfort Food Podcast with her best friend Amy Palanjian (creator of the Yummy Toddler Food blog). Together they explore the joys (and meltdowns!) of feeding our families and ourselves. Virginia lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband and two daughters.
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