20 Hudson Valley Parent
n
April 2019
body part and the word," Illardi explains.
"By using correct names, I hope that my
daughter will never feel uncomfortable
describing a health issue to her doctor,
and be proud of her body, not ashamed."
defined our journey towards womanhood,"
says McKnight-Favell. She adds, "It is my
duty to encourage her to love and
appreciate her body, along with its
strength and power. Over the years, I
have always made sure to model positive
self-body talk in her presence. To me, it's
just part of one long open conversation."
4 CONVERSATIONS
(Continued from Page 19)
Karen Teig-Morris (left) has to explain
consent often to her daughter with autism
who loves physical contact.
Marnie McKnight-Favell of
Poughkeepsie adamantly believes
in complete openness regarding her
daughter's curiosity surrounding periods.
From when her daughter was very
young, McKnight-Favell both encouraged
and responded to her daughter's questions
with enthusiasm. "Normalizing
menstruation from day one, along with
helping my daughter view the female
body as strong, capable, and amazing has
