Episodes

If you’ve been told to “let your child listen to their body,” you may be wondering what that actually looks like when they refuse dinner but happily ask for snacks five minutes later. In this episode of Family in Focus, I’m breaking down five things parents need to know about intuitive eating and kids, including why an approach designed for adults may not translate directly to a child who is still learning to recognize hunger, fullness, and satisfaction. We’ll talk about the difference between...

What happens when comments about a child’s body stay with them long after childhood? And how can you protect your child from carrying the same shame, fear, and judgment many of us grew up with? In this special episode of Family in Focus, I’m joined by Lisa Fipps, award-winning author of the middle-grade novel Starfish. Lisa shares how her experiences with weight-based bullying inspired the book and why its message continues to resonate with children and adults. We talk about weight stigma, bod...

Should We Be Talking About Other People’s Bodies? Should we talk about other people’s bodies? What do you say when your child notices a celebrity’s body has changed? And is teaching kids to never talk about bodies always the right approach? In this episode of Family in Focus, I explore the complicated conversations happening around bodies, weight, and health. Using public conversations about Lizzo and Ariana Grande as examples, we look at the difference between making assumptions about someone...

How to Set Healthy Boundaries That Help Your Child Thrive How do you set healthy boundaries without hurting your relationship with your child? Why do children push back against limits? Do kids actually need boundaries to become more independent? If you've ever wondered these things, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I explain why healthy boundaries aren't about control. They're about creating the structure and emotional safety children need to become confident, indep...

If your child has ever said, "I hate my body," "I wish I looked different," or criticized their appearance, you may have wondered what you're supposed to say in that moment. In this episode of Family in Focus, I share why the most helpful response isn't reassurance, advice, or trying to change your child's mind. Instead, we explore how curiosity, presence, and connection create the emotional safety children need to develop a healthier relationship with their body over time. In this episode: •...

If you've ever wondered whether being kinder to yourself could actually make you a better parent, this conversation is for you. In this special guest episode of Family in Focus, I'm joined by my dear friend Dr. Faryal D. Michaud, DO, palliative care physician, coach, and founder of Physicians Living Intentionally. Together, we explore why the relationship you have with yourself shapes the relationship you build with your child, and how self-compassion, curiosity, and intentional parenting creat...

If you've seen headlines about glucose monitors now being available for children as young as two, you may be wondering if they're something your family needs. In this episode of Family in Focus, I unpack what the FDA's recent decision actually means, why more health data isn't always better, and how constant monitoring can unintentionally affect a child's relationship with food, their body, and the people who care for them. In this episode: • What FDA clearance does and doesn't mean • Why glu...

If you've ever worried about your child's eating, weight, or health and wondered if you're doing enough, this episode is for you. Many of us have been taught that helping our children means finding the right meal plan, nutrition strategy, or set of rules. But what if the most powerful thing you can do has far less to do with food than you've been led to believe? In this episode of Family in Focus, I share why creating a healthy relationship with food, body, and belonging is one of the most imp...

If you've ever been told to "just connect with your child" but found yourself wondering what that actually looks like in the middle of a busy weeknight, this episode is for you. Connection has become one of the most common pieces of parenting advice, but it's often misunderstood. We turn it into a strategy to get our children to eat differently, behave differently, or change. But connection was never meant to be transactional. In this episode of Family in Focus, I share what connection really ...

If you have ever caught yourself saying something about food or your child's body that sounded just like something you heard growing up, this episode is for you. When you're worried about your child's eating habits or weight, it's easy to believe the answer is more control, better nutrition advice, or the perfect plan. But many of the messages we carry about food, bodies, and health were never intentionally taught. They were absorbed through culture, family, and years of lived experience. In t...

If worries about your child's weight or eating habits have started taking up more and more space in your mind, this episode is for you. When we're worried, it's easy to focus so hard on what needs to change that we lose sight of everything that's already going well. In this episode of Family in Focus, I share a simple mindset shift that can help you step out of fear, see the whole child again, and build change from a place of connection instead of pressure. In this episode: • Why weight conc...

If you've just been told that your child needs to lose weight and you're feeling worried, overwhelmed, or unsure what to do next, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I walk you through the first three steps you can take after hearing concerns about your child's weight. Because what you do next matters. You may be carrying fear, guilt, shame, or an urgent desire to fix the problem as quickly as possible. But rushing into food rules, restriction, or weight-focused strate...

If you feel stuck between trying to “fix” your child’s eating habits and wanting to give up altogether, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I unpack the stress, pressure, and overwhelm many parents experience when trying to help their children build healthier relationships with food and their bodies. Because food battles are often not just about food. Many parents find themselves swinging between trying to control eating habits, portions, movement, or weight outcomes a...

If you are worried about emotional eating in kids and wondering how to help your child without shame, pressure, or food battles, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I unpack emotional eating in children, stress eating, and the unmet needs that often sit beneath eating behaviors. Because emotional eating is not simply about food, discipline, or “bad habits.” Many times, it is a coping strategy connected to stress, overwhelm, boredom, frustration, or other emotional exper...

If you have ever tried to make healthier changes at home and been met with resistance, tears, or a flat-out “I hate this,” this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I walk through what is actually happening when your child pushes back on food changes and why it does not mean you are doing anything wrong. Because the resistance you are seeing is not defiance. It is development. And when you understand what is underneath it, everything about how you respond starts to shift. ...

If you have ever watched your child say something painful about their body and had no idea what to say back, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I walk through what it actually looks like when diet culture gets to your kid — and more importantly, four ways to show up when it does. Because the instinct to correct, reassure, and fix is coming from love. But it is often the thing that closes the door. Because showing up is not the same as solving it. And the difference ...

If your child has ever said something like “I hate how I look,” and you felt unsure what to say next, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I share a different way to respond in those moments when your child is struggling with body image, food, or how they see themselves. Because your child does not need you to fix it. They need you to stay with them in it. Drawing from improv, I introduce a simple framework that can help you respond with more conne...

If you have ever felt stuck trying to do things “the right way” for your child, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I explore how perfectionism shapes the way we parent and creates stress, pressure, and disconnection in everyday family life. Because it is rarely about getting it right. Perfectionism often shows up as the belief that things need to look a certain way before we begin. It can lead to overthinking, hesitation, and avoidance, making it harder to t...

If you have ever felt overwhelmed trying to help your child with eating, weight, or health—this conversation is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I’m joined by Joey Skelton, MD, MS, FAAP and Dara Garner-Edwards, MSW, LCSW, co-authors of Your Child Is Not Their Weight: Parenting in a Size-Obsessed World. Together, we explore how to support your child without shame, pressure, or food battles—and why focusing on weight often does more harm than good. Dr. Skelton and Dar...

If you are frustrated by constant conversations about your child’s eating habits, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I explain why focusing on habits often keeps families stuck and how shifting your attention to patterns can completely change the way you approach eating behaviors at home. Because it is rarely just about habits. What looks like a habit on the surface is often the visible tip of a much larger pattern shaped by stress, emotions, relations...

If you are worried about eating disorders, disordered eating, dieting, or the intense focus on weight in today’s culture, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I explore what actually happens when weight becomes the hidden focus in your home and how that quiet shift can shape your child’s relationship with food, body image, and self-worth. Because it is rarely just about weight. When weight becomes the center of conversations, concerns, or decision-making, i...

If you are struggling with your child’s eating habits, mealtime battles, picky eating, or concerns about weight, this episode is for you. In this episode of Family in Focus, I share 3 simple steps to transform your child’s relationship with food by addressing the emotional patterns and nervous system dynamics happening at home. Because it is not just about the food. It is about the patterns. Your child’s eating habits are shaped by stress, autonomy, family dynamics, and emotional regulation. ...

If you are worried about childhood obesity, BMI percentiles, or your child’s eating habits, this episode is for you. As a pediatrician, I see how often parents are told to focus on weight, growth charts, and body mass index, or BMI. But when we focus only on the number, we miss the deeper factors influencing your child’s health, emotional eating patterns, and relationship with food. In this episode of Family in Focus, I explain why weight is often just the tip of the iceberg and what parents n...

Some days, parenting does not just feel hard. It feels confusing. You are trying to do the right thing for your child, especially around food and health, but the messages are overwhelming. Eat this. Do not eat that. Worry about weight. Do not talk about weight. Move more. Stress less. Somewhere in all of that, it can start to feel like you are failing. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. You are in the right place. Welcome to Family in Focus, where I help parents lead meaningful chang...