271. Kids and Body Image: What to Say When Your Child Says They Are Ugly with Zoë Bisbing

“That safety to talk to your parent about anything, including bodies and appearances, it’s an essential ingredient to then being able to have body confidence.”

I’m joined by Zoë Bisbing, a certified family-based treatment practitioner and founder of Body Positive Therapy NYC, to talk about how we can navigate difficult body image conversations with our kids. We discuss what to say when a child says they feel ugly or fat, why immediately reassuring them may not be the most helpful response, and how curiosity and connection can keep the conversation open. Zoë also shares how to teach kids that their bodies are not the problem when someone makes a hurtful comment, how to talk about body size and differences without reinforcing diet culture, and how these challenging moments can actually help build body image resilience.

✅ What You'll Learn:

• Why reassurance isn’t always the most helpful first response
• How to stay curious and create space for your child to share what’s really going on
• Ways to teach kids that their bodies are not the problem when others make hurtful comments
• How to navigate conversations about body size, shape, and differences without reinforcing diet culture
• How these difficult moments can become opportunities to build body image resilience and recognize potential red flags for disordered eating

🔗 Resources:

• Connect with Zoe on IG @mybodypositivehome
• Grab the Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale and take your next step toward building trust with your body and food
• Connect with me over on Instagram at @diet.culture.rebel

Struggling with food, but not sure where to start?

You don’t have to feel 100% ready to get support. If you're tired of obsessing over food or feeling stuck in the diet cycle, my team of Registered Dietitians is here to help. We offer one-on-one nutrition counseling—and we accept insurance! Spots are limited, so head to https://dietculturerebel.com/insurance to see if we’re covered in your state and learn how to get started.