Confident Kids

Helping Kids Grow Strong

We're all in this together

Helping kids grow strong is about more than what they eat or how much they move. It is also about the ideas they develop—about food, their bodies, and themselves.

The words kids hear every day—from parents, caregivers, teachers, coaches, and other adults—help shape those ideas. When we use language that supports confidence and well-being, we help kids build healthy relationships with food, movement, and their bodies that can last a lifetime. 

Why Language Matters

Research shows that kids start developing ideas about food and their bodies as early as preschool. They become aware of body differences and social messages about bodies based on what they see and hear around them—at home, at school, in sports, in media, and in everyday conversations.  

Some common problematic messages kids may be exposed to include:

• Food: Labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” and judging people based on what or how they eat
• Health: Assuming a person’s body size or shape determines their health  
• Media: Portraying people in smaller bodies more positively and people in larger bodies in negative or limited ways
• School: Teasing or bullying about body size, or treating students differently based on their appearance
• Athletics: Assuming a person’s fitness, skill, or ability is determined by appearance rather than effort, interest, or experience

Messages like this can create body dissatisfaction, when someone is unhappy, uncomfortable, or critical of their body. It can develop early and often grows quietly through repeated exposure to messages that suggest certain bodies are “better” or more acceptable than others. Studies show that in kids ages 6-8, half of the girls and about one-third of the boys already wish their bodies were smaller or thinner.  

The good news: you can make a difference.