Family in Focus®

If you have ever caught yourself saying something about food or your child's body that sounded just like something you heard growing up, this episode is for you.

When you're worried about your child's eating habits or weight, it's easy to believe the answer is more control, better nutrition advice, or the perfect plan. But many of the messages we carry about food, bodies, and health were never intentionally taught. They were absorbed through culture, family, and years of lived experience.

In this episode of Family in Focus, I explore how diet culture quietly shapes the way we parent and why lasting change begins by noticing the voices we've inherited before we unintentionally pass them on to our children.

In this episode:

• Why many food and body messages are learned without us realizing it

• How diet culture disguises itself as "help without harm"

• Why your child learns more from what you model than what you say

• How slowing down and getting curious can create meaningful change

• A simple experiment to help you begin breaking the cycle

Watch the full video episode on YouTube.

New 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-wrappers

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-exhale

Learn more about working together:

https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:

https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd

Facebook: 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 feel stuck trying to improve your child's eating habits and wondering whether you just need a better meal plan, this episode is for you.

Many parents are told that the solution is simple: serve healthier foods, cut out certain foods, or find the right nutrition plan. But if changing meals were enough, most families would already be seeing the results they want.

In this episode of Family in Focus, I explore why nutrition advice alone often falls short and what actually helps families create meaningful, lasting change around food. Because food is rarely just about food. Understanding what's driving eating habits is often more important than finding the perfect meal plan.

In this episode:

• Why another meal plan may not be the answer you're looking for

• What happens when favorite foods suddenly disappear from the menu

• Why pressure, restriction, and food rules often backfire

• How stress, exhaustion, and convenience influence family eating habits

• What actually creates lasting change around food and nutrition

Watch the full video episode on YouTube.

New 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-wrappers

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-exhale

Learn more about working together:

https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:

https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd

Facebook: 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 worries about your child's weight or eating habits have started taking up more and more space in your mind, this episode is for you.

When we're worried, it's easy to focus so hard on what needs to change that we lose sight of everything that's already going well.

In this episode of Family in Focus, I share a simple mindset shift that can help you step out of fear, see the whole child again, and build change from a place of connection instead of pressure.

In this episode:

• Why weight concerns can narrow your focus as a parent

• The difference between focusing on the gap and recognizing the gain

• How fear and comparison can keep families feeling stuck

• Why noticing what's already working creates a stronger foundation for change

• A simple exercise you can try today

Watch the full video episode on YouTube.

New 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-wrappers

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-exhale

Learn more about working together:

https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:

https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd

Facebook: 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've just been told that your child needs to lose weight and you're feeling worried, overwhelmed, or unsure what to do next, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Family in Focus, I walk you through the first three steps you can take after hearing concerns about your child's weight. Because what you do next matters.

You may be carrying fear, guilt, shame, or an urgent desire to fix the problem as quickly as possible. But rushing into food rules, restriction, or weight-focused strategies often creates more harm than help.

This episode explores why slowing down, getting curious, and shifting your focus away from the number on the scale can help you support your child's health, well-being, and relationship with food without causing unintended harm.

In this episode:

• Why your first reaction to concerns about your child's weight matters more than you think

• How fear, shame, and urgency can influence the choices you make as a parent

• Why weight is only one small piece of your child's overall health

• How getting curious can help you better understand what is happening beneath the surface

• Why focusing on relationships instead of numbers creates more meaningful and lasting change

New 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-wrappers

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-exhale

Learn more about working together:

https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:

https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd

Facebook: 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 feel stuck between trying to “fix” your child’s eating habits and wanting to give up altogether, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Family in Focus, I unpack the stress, pressure, and overwhelm many parents experience when trying to help their children build healthier relationships with food and their bodies. Because food battles are often not just about food.

Many parents find themselves swinging between trying to control eating habits, portions, movement, or weight outcomes and feeling completely exhausted by it all. But both reactions are often rooted in stress, fear, and the pressure parents carry around health, weight, and doing things “right.”

This episode explores how stress impacts parenting, eating habits, and family dynamics, and why meaningful change starts with understanding what is happening beneath the surface.

In this episode:

• Why parents often swing between trying to “fix it” and feeling like “F it”
• How stress and weight stigma shape food battles and parenting dynamics
• Why controlling food and eating habits often backfires in the long run
• The connection between stress, emotional coping, and eating behaviors
• How addressing your own needs can help create healthier family relationships around food and health

New 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-wrappers

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-exhale

Learn more about working together:

https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:

https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd

Facebook: 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 are worried about emotional eating in kids and wondering how to help your child without shame, pressure, or food battles, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Family in Focus, I unpack emotional eating in children, stress eating, and the unmet needs that often sit beneath eating behaviors. Because emotional eating is not simply about food, discipline, or “bad habits.” Many times, it is a coping strategy connected to stress, overwhelm, boredom, frustration, or other emotional experiences your child may not yet know how to process.

This episode will help you look beyond the behavior so you can better understand what your child may really need.

In this episode:

• What emotional eating in kids actually means and why most people emotionally eat
• Why stress eating and emotional eating are often connected to unmet needs
• How focusing only on food can unintentionally keep families stuck
• Why emotions themselves are not the problem and what your child may really be communicating
• How to approach eating behaviors with more curiosity, connection, and less shame or pressure

New 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-wrappers

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-exhale

Learn more about working together:

https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:

https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd

Facebook: 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 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 problem
• The myth of the one “right” way to feed your family
• How eating habits often become coping strategies over time
• Why focusing only on food misses the bigger picture
• How to create change without shame, pressure, or harm

New 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-wrappers

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-exhale

Learn more about working together:

https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:

https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd

Facebook: 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 development
• What your child’s current eating habits are really doing for them
• Why removing foods without addressing the underlying need leads to more resistance
• The two jobs parents actually have when it comes to food
• How to build a “bridge” instead of a battle at mealtimes
• Simple ways to introduce new foods without overwhelming your child
• Why regulation, yours first, changes everything in these moments

New 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-wrappers

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-exhale

Learn more about working together:

https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:

https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd

Facebook: 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 themselves
• The signals that diet culture has gotten in — and what they actually look like
• Why correcting the message directly usually makes it stick harder
• 4 ways to show up for your child without trying to fix them
• When to trust your gut and reach out for more support

New 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-exhale

Learn more about working together:
https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:
https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd
Facebook: 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 relationships

New 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-exhale

Learn more about working together:
https://www.wendyschofermd.com

To schedule a consult:
https://wendyschofermdscheduling.as.me/consult

Follow along and continue the conversation:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyschofermd/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wendyschofermd
Facebook: 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.