Calming mealtime battlegrounds: Real family stories on fussy eating, ARFID and emotional eating
This content was originally published in issue 1 of the Embrace magazine. You can get a free digital copy here. We know how kids ‘should’ eat, but what if they refuse vegetables or fruit, don’t feel full, keep eating until they feel sick, or are too anxious to eat? These families share how they […]
Body image advice by age: How parents can best support children from birth to 18 years
Body image challenges aren’t something that suddenly appear in the teenage years. Even though body dissatisfaction may peak from the ages of 11-14, it starts being shaped from the very beginning of our lives. The things we can say and do with two-year-olds about body image look completely different from what a 14-year-old needs, so […]
How to answer “Am I fat?”: Scripts for parents to help their kids build body confidence
“Am I fat?” I think every parent’s heart sinks when they hear their child say those words. Our instinct is usually to say, “No you’re not! You’re beautiful!” because we want to make our child feel better. But the problem is that reactions like that immediately demonise fat, and we know from all of […]
Five signs ‘healthy eating’ might be disordered eating (and how to support your child)
Before we dive in, we know you’re already carrying so much as a parent. This isn’t meant to be another thing to worry about — it’s simply something worth having on your radar so that you feel equipped to support your child should they need it. Parents, does any of this sound familiar? 👉 […]
Five things making parents panic about their kids’ body image (and what to do about it)
If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately — or even just scrolling through your phone after the kids go to bed — you’ve probably seen something that made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Teenage boys hitting their faces with hammers. Girls prescribing themselves meal plans from TikTok. AI-generated […]
A parent’s guide to talking about looksmaxxing
Hey parent, I’m glad you’re here! Before we begin, I want you to know that this is a judgement-free zone. I’m a parent of four teenagers — my tribe of three and my stepson — and let me tell you, I get it. I get it. I get it. Parenting isn’t easy. One minute […]
Simply skin: Taking the stress, spend and standards out of tween skincare
Skincare is usually sold based on being ‘hope in a bottle,’ but is that what our kids need? There’s been a rise of Sephora Kids and Mecca Mania among 8-12 year olds and it’s taken a lot of parents by surprise. It’s not just that the main brands our kids want are expensive, they’re mostly […]
Ask Dr Zali Yager: Evidence-based answers to your biggest body image questions
Got questions? Dr Zali has the answers! Internationally recognised body-image expert Dr Zali brings calm, evidence-based guidance to those 3am parenting worries. With so many messages about bodies, beauty and worth coming at my kids, it doesn’t feel like they hear me anymore. How do I know I’m having an impact? Jennifer, Canberra […]
Mythbuster: Unpacking the facts and myths behind GLP-1s
From group chats to newsfeeds, it can feel like everyone’s talking about GLP-1s. But what’s fact, what’s fiction, and how do we stay centred? These medications have quickly become part of everyday conversation, sparking curiosity, confusion, and for many, that all-too-familiar pressure to ‘fix’ their bodies. It’s easy to assume body image advocates would […]
Should you let kids eat unlimited lollies? How to set limits around food without creating shame
One of the most common questions we hear from parents is this: I’ve read that I shouldn’t restrict foods, but won’t that mean they will eat an entire packet of lollies or a third slice of cake? It’s a great question, and many parents feel the tension between wanting to support their kids to develop […]
