How can I support a 12-year-old with a very rare genetic skin disorder? She’s entering a middle school with mostly new friends, at a time when most kids become more body-conscious and want to be accepted by their peers. 5 min read
My 17-year-old has been wearing really short shorts all summer, and every time I’ve brought it up with her has ended in a fight. I need help. 3 min read
My daughter’s friend has an eating disorder that she was hospitalized for last year. The friend talks about herself in terms I associate with people recovering from addiction, which is good, right? However, I’m concerned about some new behavior I’m seeing in my daughter since they’ve been hanging out a lot more. Lately my daughter has been photographing all her food and putting it on instagram. She lines up each dish, makes sure each leave is just right, and if she doesn’t like the result, she’ll start over again with a new plate. How can I tell if she’s a budding photo journalist, or if this is a sign of having control issues with her food? 3 min read
I’m a single dad to a 14 year old who takes 2 hours to get ready every morning. There’s an oil and steam ritual she must do daily, and then hair styling and makeup… She told me, “You just don’t understand, I’m not pretty. I have to do all this.” and now I don’t know what to do or say. She’s very pretty; her aunts and grandmother say so too. I’m worried she’s got a very unrealistic view of herself and it will undermine her self-esteem in the long run. Help? 4 min read
I could use help supporting my teenage daughter in dealing with difficult emotions after a crisis. For example, last summer her camp friend was cutting herself and my daughter felt she had to keep it a secret to preserve the friendship. Or the recent death of a student in a neighboring school she didn’t know, but she reacted like it was her best friend. She seems to be more emotionally charged about everything, big and small, and I’m not sure what to say or how to get her to talk to me. Any tips? 4 min read
Dear Julia, When my daughter laments about her body not looking how she wants, I know I’m supposed to say “its not about looks it’s about health,” but she just rolls her eyes and says, “yes it is.” 2 min read
I am not in the best shape right now and look what I found staring at me in the magazine aisle at CVS (a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue). As a person is struggling with her own self worth around weight, when I see something like this that makes me feel self-conscious, how do I not overreact in front of my daughter? 2 min read
My daughter has a friend who constantly makes critical comments about her looks (i.e. your eyes are too big and look creepy, your hair so thin, etc). How can I teach her to not internalize these comments? I’ve noticed that she’s recently become more concerned with her appearance and I’m worried about the negative impact …
Julia, Why do my friends and family explain their latest food philosophy to me? If I offer someone a slice of pizza, they explain that they are saving their gluten for weekends. What happened to, “No thank you?” While I can manage myself, I am not sure how to protect my daughter from these ongoing …
I love this site. I was a teacher for many years. Nutrition and Health Education were my majors and I tried to weave in these topics to everything I taught. I do have one comment about body image and self-acceptance. I absolutely want every girl to feel self-love and confidence. But it makes me uncomfortable …
