The Body-Positive Nurturing Philosophy
The protective and healing WHY behind everything we do
We brush our kids’ teeth to prevent cavities, read them bedtime stories to build literacy skills, and teach them to look both ways before crossing the street to stay physically safe. These small, daily practices aren’t just about triaging problems—they’re about preventing them…or, at the very least, decreasing risk. The same is true for how we nurture our kids’ relationship with food and their bodies, and yet there is no universally recognized and organized set of practices or even nomenclature to make this crucial work tangible, actionable, and shareable. Or at least there wasn’t until I named it body-positive nurturing.
Five interconnected frameworks
Body-positive nurturing is an interdisciplinary philosophy that harnesses the power of family, school, and community environments to foster well-being, body image resilience, and a safer, more equitable world for all bodies to exist in. Mirroring the interdisciplinary nature of eating disorder treatment, body-positive nurturing encompasses a deep understanding and embrace of five interconnected frameworks: The Body-Positive Movement, Neurodiversity-Affirming Model®, Health at Every Size®, Responsive Feeding, and Eating Disorder Prevention—all woven together into a values-driven philosophy that provides the why behind the way we feed, eat, think, feel, and talk (or not talk) about bodies, health, equity, and justice…with our kids and ourselves.
The Body-Positivity Movement
When we understand and embrace the values at the heart of the body-positivity movement, we recognize that all bodies are inherently worthy of respect, dignity, and care—regardless of size, shape, ability, or appearance. This informs the way we feel, think, and speak (or not speak) about our own bodies and others', and the messages we send to children about body privilege, weight stigma, and universal human worth — all of which will look different for every individual, child, and family.
Health at Every Size®
When we understand and embrace the Health at Every Size® paradigm we recognize that health is not a one-size-fits-all outcome, but rather a deeply personal and dynamic state of physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. This informs the way we consume healthcare, collaborate with providers, relate to physical movement, and consider external markers like weight, growth charts, BMI, and body changes —all of which look different for every individual, child, and family.
The Neurodiversity Affirming Model®
When we understand and embrace the The Neurodiversity Affirming Model® we recognize that human brains are wired differently and Autism, ADHD, and other expressions of neurodivergence are simply natural variations in human experience — not conditions to be "fixed.” This informs our deep curiosity about every child’s sensory and interoceptive experiences with food and body, and drives us to create eating environments that accommodate diverse needs, honor sensory preferences and sensitivities without shame, and prioritize individual attunement over neurotypical expectations — all of which look different for every individual, child, and family.
Responsive Feeding
When we understand and embrace Responsive Feeding, we recognize that an exquisitely attuned feeding relationship between a caregiver and a child is the key to raising self-assured eaters who trust and nourish their bodies over the course of their lives. This informs the way we construct and conduct meals, think realistically about nutritional balance, and honor children’s natural ability to regulate their own hunger, fullness, and satisfaction preferences — all of which look different for every individual, child, and family.
Eating Disorder Prevention
When we understand and embrace the premise of intentional, Eating Disorder Prevention, we know how to recognize and reduce risk factors in our children, while we effectively strengthen protective factors, shaping environments that support body trust, food autonomy, and emotional well-being. This informs our ability to detect early warning signs of struggle and advocate for effective support and early intervention — all of which look different for every individual, child, and family.
Protection for Them, Healing for Us
The majority of adults who are attracted to becoming body-positive nurturers were once children who really could have used one. It is often someone who was taught that their body was a problem to be fixed, their appetite was not to be trusted, or that their worth could be measured by the numbers on clothing labels, BMI charts, and scales. These are the folks who are most moved to do things differently for the young people in their lives — to break the cycle of food and body shame so the next generation is more critical of and less vulnerable to the powerful sway of diet + wellness culture’s rhetoric. But there is really no way to body-positively nurture a young person without experiencing some inner child healing for yourself. The work of transitioning to new paradigms, challenging internal biases, feeding in ways that can feel counterintuitive, and redefining what health means for you and your family can be hard — sometimes even painful. It can bring up anger and grief, stoke family conflict, and resurrect deeply buried feelings and body image injuries. Growing pains. My hope is to welcome you into Body-Positive Home where we can learn, heal, and nurture together, as a community. We’ll take the body-positive nurturing philosophy and translate it into actionable practices. Everyday (self)nurturing practices that can be done in the most mundane moments — in kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, closets, classrooms…even bathrooms. I cannot wait to get started.
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Thank you for this very important work that you are doing. I will try to become a subscriber as soon as if it’s into my budget, but in the meantime, know that I appreciate and support you! ❤️
I completely agree about the process of re-parenting ourselves when we break the intergenerational cycles of dieting and body shame.
Thank you for presenting the important frameworks that lay the foundation for families to swim upstream in diet culture!