Summer time is here which often means kids are back home and in a different environment from school. Your kids may be frequently bringing up the topic of snacks which may be due to…
In this interview, we’ll explore the importance of discussing food with your kids and provide tips on how to engage in meaningful conversations about their snacking habits.
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Avoid making triggering comments yourself
Avoid making any comments on body image or the health content of a food. Even if the comment is about your own body, it can still be triggering. Avoid saying things like, “This is so sugary,” “I’m going to have to work this off tomorrow,” “I’m going to be bad today lol,” or “Are you really going to eat all of that?”
Remove known triggers beforehand
Ask your loved one if there’s anything specific you can do to help make this time easier or minimize triggers. For someone with an eating disorder or recovering from an eating disorder, minimizing triggers can help them feel more confident. Here are a few ideas that could help:
Gently educate others
As long as your child or loved one is okay with it, it could be helpful to educate other family members about body positivity and disordered eating habits. This way you can minimize triggering situations when you’re around those family members during the holidays. As previously mentioned, family members can often make triggering comments with no ill intent, so putting the situation on their radar can help minimize the occurrence of those comments.
Finally, prioritize self-care!
Remember, your well-being is what’s most important! If your loved one needs to take a step back when things get too overwhelming, that is completely okay. That could be keeping some distance from a family member who is too triggering for the time being. That could also be engaging in non-food-centered holiday activities such as watching a movie, decorating, doing a craft, or going to see holiday lights. Remember to remind your loved one to give themselves some grace, because no matter what stage of recovery they are in, the holidays can provide some challenges, and they are doing their best to get through them.
Using some of these tips and having an understanding support system will help ensure that everyone can have a happy holiday!
Our St. Louis area dietitians specialize in pediatric nutrition counseling and eating disorder treatment.
