Body COmments?

What should you say to your returning college kids about their bodies? They are coming home for Thanksgiving and may be bigger, smaller, different than when you dropped them off in August. Their eating habits may have changed. Should you comment? Probably not. It goes without saying that negative comments about weight gain are unhelpful. But even the message intended as a compliment, "you look great! you've lost so much weight!", can inadvertently reinforce eating disorder behavior. Also remember, bodies are intensely personal. Your child may be choosing to live in a body that is different than when he/she was at home, that is bigger/smaller than the family norm. That can be ok. Have their favorite foods available, cook to your heart's content, and don't be overly worried about their over/under eating. They are stressed and exhausted and in the middle of figuring themselves out in many developmental paths including their eating and appearance. However, if you are noticing possible eating disorder behaviors, observe and be curious and use this good resource for checking out your concerns: https://crcfored.com/eating-disorders-101/