8. How To Respond When Your Child Says I'm Fat with Emma Wright

Bod Almighty

Has your child told you “I’m fat!”? How did you feel? How did you respond? Do you wish you had the perfect thing to say?

Emma Wright has the expert advice for you! Emma Wright is an internationally recognised expert in eating disorder prevention, parent training and public speaking. Having worked with hundreds of parents in her coaching practice & online programs as well as presenting in dozens of schools, Emma has proven that conventional parenting methods to prevent body image issues are flawed at best. Instead, Emma offers a powerful new approach to parents and family who are worried about body image. Emma is thoughtful, experienced and compassionate and we are so excited to share her findings with you!

In this episode you’ll get practical, step-by-gentle-step advice on how to talk to your kids about their bodies, body diversity and body size in ways that aren’t overwhelming!

In this jam-packed episode on Bod Almighty we cover:

- Why your child saying “I’m fat” is so emotional for parents (around 02:00)

- The incredible research that shows what kids think of people in larger bodies from as early as age five (around 05:00)

- Why this experience is surprisingly universal (around 06:00)

- Why “I’m fat” is actually not about size (around 06:30)

- What your kid is really saying when they say “I’m fat” and why their age makes a difference (around 07:00)

- Hot tip: Two incredible questions to give you “aha!” insights about your role in your child’s body image journey (from 09:00)

- A common belief you might have about protecting your child (09:40)

- Why protecting kids from pain and supporting kids through pain are two different things (around 11:00)

- The top three greatest hits of what NOT to say (around 12:00)

- Why these aren’t great responses and how it can impact your relationship and their views about fatness / larger bodies (around 13:00)

- Why you shouldn’t feel guilty if you have said any of these things (around 15:00)

- Hot tip: Emma’s simple challenge that can make a huge shift (around 17:30)

- What you could or should say when your child says “I’m fat” (around 21:20)

- Why curiosity is important (around 22:30)

- Hot tip: The easy thing to do if the statement is genuinely triggering for you (around 23:30)

- The amazing teenage brain expert who has informed Emma’s advice (around 25:20)

- When Emma drops the truth-bomb – “We’re not going to get kids who don’t have painful experiences, no-one gets to have one of those.” (28:30)

- How many times you might have to have this conversation and how and when to have it (around 29:30)

Resources:

Emma’s website: https://www.emmawright.co.nz/

Emma’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1295337737328192/

Emma’s amazing practical workbook – “Raising Body Confident Kids”: https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Body-Confident-Kids-practical/dp/0473495317

More about Teen brain expert Michelle Icard: https://michelleicard.com/