Mom’s note to pediatrician about weight-shaming is powerful and spot-on

In our weight-obsessed society, it’s so hard to raise kids with healthy body images. But one mom is going viral for the genius way she handled her 9-year-old’s checkup at the pediatrician: By slipping the doctor a note ahead of time about avoiding any sort of “weight-shaming” speech.

In a TikTok video, North Carolina mom Caroline Hardin shared the letter she drafted for her daughter’s pediatrician, requesting that she “refrain from using qualitative words like ‘good’ or ‘bad’ when discussing weight.”

“We have managed so far to keep a body neutral and body positive environment for her childhood, and I appreciate your cooperation in preserving that for as long as we can,” the note read. “Feel free to ask to speak with me outside the exam room if you have any concerns. Thank you!”

@general.caronobi Don’t judge my handwriting i was writing in the car on top of a captain underpants book lol #bodyneutrality #bodypositiveparenting ♬ Rainy Days X Animal Crossing – ViBES

In a follow-up video, she revealed that the doctor was receptive to her approach. The nurse who weighed her daughter didn’t comment on the number, and when the doctor discussed her growth, she used a growth chart with no numbers and simply said, “Your body is growing the way it wants to. Yay!”

@general.caronobi Replying to @Caroline we will continue to take it one year at a time but we made it through this year’s checkup unscathed! #bodyneutrality #bodypositiveparenting ♬ original sound – Caroline

Hardin told Today that she’s put a lot of effort into raising her daughter to have a body-neutral mindset.

“We focus on what our body can do rather than its appearance,” she said.

The comments on her video were very supportive of her approach.

“I wish I had done this earlier with my kids. They dread the yearly check up because of this specific complex,” one mom wrote.

Another added, “One of my earliest memories was the pediatrician pointing to where I was on the growth charts vs. where I should be. This is powerful!”

It really is powerful to see how easy it can be to make small changes that empower our kids to have a healthier view of themselves.