logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2023
53m 18s

#158: Talking to Kids About Food, Fat, a...

Mary Jelkovsky
About this episode

If you have children in your life, whether they’re your own kids or perhaps your siblings/ nieces/ nephews/ students, then hopefully you want to create a body positive environment for them. Zoë Bisbing, MSW, LCSW is here to teach you HOW.

You will learn...

  • what to say if a child asks, “Am I fat?”
  • how to approach a conversation about “healthy eating” with kids
  • what if your kid has a real health condition? how should parents approach their child’s food and weight then?
  • what to say to stop family members from commenting on your child’s weight

Remember: building a body positive home starts with your own mindset first. As a parent, it’s important to heal your own beliefs about food, fat, weight, and health.

Zoë Bisbing, MSW, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, and content creator. Zoë holds a Master of Social Work from New York University, a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College, and a certification in Family-Based Treatment from the Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders. She is the director of Body-Positive Therapy NYC and Body-Positive Home (formerly The Full Bloom Project), an educational resource offering workshops and body image workouts for the whole family. She loves teaching parents and professionals how to creatively build spaces where children of all ages, sizes, and gender expressions can naturally boost immunity to our appearance-obsessed culture and decrease risk for disordered eating and body image injury. Follow Zoë on Instagram: @mybodypositivehome

And if you enjoyed this episode, screenshot it and share it on social media! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @mybodypositivehome

This episode is sponsored by Big Heart Tea! My favorite certified organic tea with direct-trade ingredients, wrapped in packaging made from plants (not plastics), and produced with the utmost regard for the farmers who grow it. I love Big Heart Tea because their company is female-founded, intentionally-sourced, and mission-driven which you can really taste with every sip. I’m currently drinking their Cup of Love tea and I also love their herbal blends for the afternoons. Stock up on your own tea by going to bighearttea.com and use code MARY20 for a discount!

Up next
Yesterday
Ep. 258: Confidence Advice for Teen Girls from My 17-Year-Old Sister!
Are you ready for a confidence pep talk from my wise little sister?! Though she’s only 17, her perspective on mental health, body-image, and self-love is relatable to teens and adults alike. Whether you’re a big sister, auntie, parent, caretaker, or teen, you’ll walk away with a ... Show More
46m 48s
Jul 3
Ep. 257: My Sister and I Reflect on Our Trip to France! (Real Talk on Self-Esteem and Sisterhood)
In this special episode, I sit down with my little sister to reflect on our unforgettable trip to France. Though my self-esteem was tested, it was a journey that made me and my sister closer than ever. From the cobblestone streets of Paris to the Mediterranean breeze in Nice, we ... Show More
58m 3s
Jun 26
Ep. 256: 3 Subtle Ways Women Sabotage Their Self-Love, Self-Worth, and Inner Peace
Let’s dive into some unconscious ways us women tend to sabotage our self-love—especially in times of collective stress, societal pressure, and emotional overwhelm. In a world that constantly demands more from women—more productivity, more perfection, more performance—it’s no wond ... Show More
29m 54s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
29. How to raise kids who love food, their bodies, and themselves with Heidi Schauster MS, RD, LDN, CEDS-S, SEP
Unlock secrets on how to foster happy, food-loving kids and support their body image in this interview with Heidi Schauster, author and eating disorder dietitian! Discover the art of positive parenting, body positivity, and managing media influences. It's a must-listen for b ... Show More
50m 32s
Apr 2023
#317: Rethinking Wellness: The Wellness to Woo Pipeline and the Kids in the Long Shadow of Clean Eating with Laura Thomas
Nutritionist and author Laura Thomas joins us to discuss what it’s like for kids living in the long shadow of “clean eating,” the “almond mom” trend on TikTok, the "wellness to woo pipeline," how parents and caregivers can let go of wellness-culture beliefs about food for themsel ... Show More
1 h
Sep 2023
How to "Not Screw Up Your Kids" (Talking to Your Kids About Health)
We've been getting a lot of questions about how to talk to kids about health and fitness. On the one hand, you want your kids to eat healthy and move their body, but on the other hand, overemphasizing these topics can really backfire and have detrimental mental health effects. On ... Show More
4m 45s
Jan 2024
97: The worst ways parents pass on poor body image - and how to avoid them
In this episode, we discuss:How diet culture affects boys, as well as women and girlsOur own childhoods and upbringings, and how these shaped our relationships with food and our bodiesThings we want to change when raising our own children to prevent them being negatively affected ... Show More
41m 6s
Feb 2024
23. Exposing the "war on childhood obesity" with Dr. Elizabeth Rathbun
We're exposing the “war on childhood obesity” with Dr. Elizabeth Rathbun,' an esteemed clinical psychologist and certified intuitive eating counselor.  In this deep and enlightening conversation we delve into the contentious topic of childhood obesity, challenging tradi ... Show More
46m 13s
Dec 2021
156. Building a Bridge Between Motherhood + Entrepreneurship with Katie Wells #FabulousFriends
Katie Wells is a supermom, bonafide wellness entrepreneur, and the voice behind WellnessMama.com. She has spent over a decade empowering moms with nutritional knowledge and healthy lifestyle hacks to eliminate toxins, reduce stress, and make life easier.Time is precious, especial ... Show More
1h 2m
Nov 2020
58- How to Raise Body Positive Children with Leslie Bloch and Zoe Bisbing of the Full Bloom Project
Is it possible to raise children who have a neutral relationship with their bodies? Is it possible to raise children who don't define their self-worth with how they look? How can we raise the next generation of children to look beyond appearances? Well, this week, I talk with the ... Show More
55m 36s
Jun 2020
#245: Recovering from COVID-19 While Fat with Plus-Size Yoga Teacher Rachel Estapa, and Parenting Without Diet Culture with Anti-Diet Dietitian Anna Lutz
Anti-diet dietitian Anna Lutz joins us to discuss why it doesn’t make sense to provide both eating-disorder treatment and weight management, the influence of diet culture on parenting, how to provide structure for kids’ eating without creating restriction, managing picky eating, ... Show More
1h 26m
Jun 2023
ReShape Teenage Health | With Dr. Carole Wehbe Chidiac, Family Medicine Consultant Specialized in Eating Disorders and Sports & Exercise Medicine
According to a report by Common Sense Media, teenagers are more likely to be influenced than many other age groups and are highly responsive to messages that appeal to their desire to fit in, be popular and be seen as attractive - which some times ends up creating weight stigma w ... Show More
56m 22s
Mar 2023
Identifying & Improving Blood Sugar Issues in Kids with Jamie Glowacki | Episode 123
TODAY'S SPONSORSPowered by ketones, backed by science. Kenetik is a delicious, tropical citrus flavored ketone energy drink designed to unlock your peak performance. It’s caffeine-free and sugar-free. Each serving contains 10g of a premium blend of bioidentical ketones that ... Show More
1h 14m