Family in Focus®

If you have ever found yourself thinking, “Just tell me what to feed my kid,” this episode is for you.In this episode of Family in Focus, I unpack one of the biggest misconceptions parents carry when it comes to changing eating habits and weight concerns at home: the belief that the answer is simply finding the “right” foods, meal plan, or nutrition advice.Because the problem is usually not a lack of information.Most families already know what they are “supposed” to be doing. Or they are exhausting themselves trying to do everything “right” and still not seeing the changes they hoped for.This episode is about what is actually happening underneath eating habits and why lasting change does not begin with more pressure, restriction, or perfection around food.In this episode:Why “just tell us what to eat” is usually not the real problemThe myth of the one “right” way to feed your familyHow eating habits often become coping strategies over timeWhy focusing only on food misses the bigger pictureHow to create change without shame, pressure, or harmNew episodes air every Wednesday.If you are listening and realizing your child is sneaking food, hiding wrappers, or eating in secret, there is a next step for you.No More Candy Wrappers Under the Bed is a workshop designed to help you understand why this is happening and how to shift it without shame, control, or power struggles.You can learn more and sign up here:https://www.wendyschofermd.com/no-more-candy-wrappersJoin The Exhale, my newsletter for parents who want less stress around food, body image, and weight concerns and more confidence at the dinner table: https://www.wendyschofermd.com/the-exhaleLearn more about working together:https://www.wendyschofermd.comTo schedule a consult:https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consultFollow along and continue the conversation:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermdFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendyschofermd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-schofer-md/While I am a doctor, I am not your doctor. This podcast is for education, not medical advice.

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.I break down why kids are wired to push back, how their current eating habits are actually solving problems for them, and why willpower-based approaches often make things harder instead of easier. From recognizing the needs food is meeting, to holding boundaries without power struggles, to building connection instead of control, this is about creating change that actually lasts.In this episode:Why pushback is a normal and necessary part of your child’s developmentWhat your child’s current eating habits are really doing for themWhy removing foods without addressing the underlying need leads to more resistanceThe two jobs parents actually have when it comes to foodHow to build a “bridge” instead of a battle at mealtimesSimple ways to introduce new foods without overwhelming your childWhy regulation, yours first, changes everything in these momentsNew episodes air every Wednesday.If you are listening and realizing your child is sneaking food, hiding wrappers, or eating in secret, there is a next step for you.No More Candy Wrappers Under the Bed is a workshop designed to help you understand why this is happening and how to shift it without shame, control, or power struggles.You can learn more and sign up here:https://www.wendyschofermd.com/no-more-candy-wrappersJoin The Exhale, my newsletter for parents who want less stress around food, body image, and weight concerns and more confidence at the dinner table: https://www.wendyschofermd.com/the-exhaleLearn more about working together:https://www.wendyschofermd.comTo schedule a consult:https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consultFollow along and continue the conversation:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermdFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendyschofermd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-schofer-md/While I am a doctor, I am not your doctor. This podcast is for education, not medical advice.

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 matters more than you think.I break down why direct contradiction backfires, why banning diet talk at home can actually remove you from the conversation, and what to do instead. From addressing what you are carrying as a parent first, to getting curious before you correct, to sitting with your child in the discomfort instead of rushing past it.In this episode:Why what your child absorbed is already shaping how they see themselvesThe signals that diet culture has gotten in — and what they actually look likeWhy correcting the message directly usually makes it stick harder4 ways to show up for your child without trying to fix themWhen to trust your gut and reach out for more supportNew episodes air every Wednesday.Join The Exhale, my newsletter for parents who want less stress around food, body image, and weight concerns and more confidence at the dinner table: https://www.wendyschofermd.com/the-exhaleLearn more about working together:https://www.wendyschofermd.comTo schedule a consult:https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consultFollow along and continue the conversation:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermdFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendyschofermd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-schofer-md/While I am a doctor, I am not your doctor. This podcast is for education, not medical advice.

If you have ever left your child's well visit feeling like you did something wrong, this episode is for you.In this episode of Family in Focus, I break down the history of BMI, diet culture, and why weight became the focus of your child's doctor visit. Because your doctor did not make up that advice. But understanding where it actually comes from changes everything.Because the message has a history.And that history matters.I take us back to the 1830s, when a Belgian mathematician, not a doctor, not a researcher studying children or health, created the formula we now call BMI. He was explicit that it should never be used to assess individual bodies. And yet nearly two centuries later, it is the primary screening tool used at your child's well visit.I also explore how diet culture became embedded in medicine, why we defaulted to numbers in the first place, and what it means to start countering that culture in your own home.In this episode:-The origins of BMI and why it was never designed for your child-How diet culture entered the doctor's office-Why weight-focused advice activates shame instead of change-The narrow history behind who built our health systems and what got left -out-What it looks like to shift from chasing numbers to building relationshipsNew episodes air every Wednesday.Join The Exhale, my newsletter for parents who want less stress around food, body image, and weight concerns and more confidence at the dinner table: https://www.wendyschofermd.com/the-exhaleLearn more about working together:https://www.wendyschofermd.comTo schedule a consult:https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consultFollow along and continue the conversation:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermdFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendyschofermd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-schofer-md/While I am a doctor, I am not your doctor. This podcast is for education, not medical advice.

If you have ever been told to focus on your child’s BMI, weight, or eating habits and felt like something wasn’t adding up, this episode is for you.In this episode of Family in Focus, I unpack the truth about BMI, pediatric weight guidance, and why the traditional “eat less, move more” approach often fails families.Because it is not your child who is failing.It may be the system.We explore how BMI became a standard tool in healthcare, despite never being designed for individual health, and how diet culture, fitness culture, and medicine have merged into a single message focused on controlling bodies.This episode also introduces a new way to think about children’s health, one that shifts away from numbers and toward relationships with food, body, and connection.In this episode:• Why BMI is a flawed measure of individual health• How weight-focused messaging impacts kids and families• The problem with “eat less, move more”• How diet culture shows up in medical care• A healthier, more sustainable approach to supporting your childWatch the full video episode on YouTube.New episodes every Wednesday.Join The Exhale, my newsletter for parents who want less stress around food, body image, and weight concerns and more confidence at the dinner table:https://www.wendyschofermd.com/the-exhaleLearn more about working together:https://www.wendyschofermd.comTo schedule a consult:https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consultFollow along and continue the conversation:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermdFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendyschofermd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-schofer-md/Books & Resources Mentioned:If you want to go deeper into understanding diet culture, weight stigma, and how these messages impact families, these are powerful places to start:Anti-Diet by Christy HarrisonA deep dive into how diet culture became embedded in our society, healthcare, and beliefs about health and body size.Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by Virginia Sole-SmithA practical and eye-opening guide for parents navigating body image, food, and weight conversations with their kids.Starfish by Lisa FippsA middle-grade novel that offers a powerful look at how weight stigma affects kids and how they experience messages about their bodies from the world around them.While I am a doctor, I am not your doctor. This podcast is for education, not medical advice.