It’s happening younger than ever. Girls as young as five are worrying about their weight, and by age nine the insecurities can hit hard. In this episode we unpack a listener’s heartbreaking question: “Is my daughter pretty enough?” - and share the practical steps that protect kids from body image pain without making it worse.

KEY POINTS

Body image worries now start between ages 5–9 for many girls
Why reassurance backfires & curiosity helps
The 3-step approach: Curious → Validate → Reframe
Teach function over appearance to build positive body appreciation
The strongest predictor: how parents talk about their own bodies
What mothers model → daughters absorb (instantly & powerfully)

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“Don’t rush in with reassurance - get curious, not furious.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Misconnection: Why Your Teenage Daughter Hates You, Expects the World, and Needs to Talk by Justin Coulson
The Misconnection Summit
Enough - A video resource for teen girls

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

Get Curious (Not Furious): Ask where comments came from before correcting.
Validate the Feelings: “That must have felt really crummy. I’m glad you told me.”
Reframe: Shift to body function (what it does, not how it looks).
Model Neutral-to-Positive Self Talk: No dieting talk, no body bashing, no opting out of photos.
Build Gratitude for the Body: Surfing, running, hugging- celebrate capability.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raising Girls Who Like Themselves & Feel Good in Their Own Skin