We understand that you LOVE your kid(s) and want to make sure that you are helping them develop the best relationship with their body possible. You can be an incredible resource in helping support them relate to their body in a more positive way.
Here’s a list of resources for parents who want to help raise body-positive kids and challenge diet culture:
Books
"Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture" by Virginia Sole-Smith
This insightful book provides strategies for talking about bodies, food, and health in a way that dismantles diet culture and fosters body positivity in children.
"The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love" by Sonya Renee Taylor
Taylor's powerful work encourages people of all ages to embrace radical self-love and reject societal pressures about body image.
"Body Positive Parenting" by Rebekah Buege
A guide for parents to raise children with a healthy relationship to their bodies by focusing on self-compassion and self-worth beyond physical appearance.
"Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach" by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
This book is not just for parents but is an excellent resource for helping children develop a positive, intuitive relationship with food.
"Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women" by Renee Engeln
Engeln explores the harmful effects of society’s obsession with appearance and offers practical solutions for parents raising girls in a beauty-obsessed world.
Websites and Blogs
The Body Positive (www.thebodypositive.org)
A nonprofit organization that offers resources, courses, and tools to help people of all ages cultivate a positive body image and reject diet culture.
A resource-rich site focused on providing parents with education and tools to prevent eating disorders and raise children with positive body images.
Association for Size Diversity and Health (www.sizediversityandhealth.org)
Offers information about the Health at Every Size (HAES) movement, helping parents shift their focus from weight to overall health and well-being for their children.
The Alliance for Eating Disorders (www.allianceforeatingdisorders.org)
The Alliance provides resources for understanding eating disorders and a variety of support groups.
Podcasts
The Full Bloom Project Podcast
Focuses on body-positive parenting with practical tips on raising children who feel good about their bodies and resist the pull of diet culture.
Dietitians Unplugged
A podcast that debunks myths about diet culture and offers insights into raising body-confident children by promoting intuitive eating and self-acceptance.
Food Psych Podcast by Christy Harrison
A podcast that explores anti-diet approaches and intuitive eating, perfect for parents wanting to understand diet culture and protect their children from its harms.
Social Media
@thebodypositive (Instagram)
The Body Positive’s official Instagram account shares motivational posts and insights on fostering body positivity in children and adults alike.
@beauty_redefined (Instagram)
Beauty Redefined is run by two Ph.D. sisters focused on helping girls and women reject harmful beauty ideals and focus on their own value and worth.
Supportive Tools & Activities
Dove Self-Esteem Project (www.dove.com/selfesteem)
The Dove Self-Esteem Project provides free resources, including workbooks and activities for parents, to help children develop body confidence.
Body Confidence Coloring Books for Kids
Fun and engaging coloring books that promote positive messages about all body types, helping kids develop a healthy self-image from a young age.
By incorporating these resources into your parenting journey, you can build a body-positive environment that empowers your children to thrive and grow up with confidence and self-love.
Still struggling? That's okay, this is not an easy work and Whole Space is here to support your personal process.
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