S19 Ep6: KATIE PIPER: How do we raise confident children in an appearance-obsessed world?

How do we raise our children to believe they're enough in a world that's constantly telling them they need to look different, be different or do more?

This week on The Netmums Podcast, Louise Burke and JB Gill are joined by broadcaster, best-selling author, campaigner and mum-of-two Katie Piper for an inspiring conversation about confidence, resilience and raising children who value themselves for who they truly are.

Drawing on both her own extraordinary life experiences (most notably surviving a life-changing acid attack in 2008, carried out at the request of her ex-boyfriend) and her work with international children's cleft charity Smile Train, Katie shares why true confidence isn't something we inherit – it's something we build. Together, they explore how parents can nurture resilience from an early age, support children through the pressures of social media and appearance culture, and encourage them to develop a strong sense of identity that goes far beyond external validation.

Katie also reflects on becoming a mum, how parenthood changed her perspective, why she was determined not to pass her own fears onto her daughters, and what her children have taught her about healing, patience and self-compassion.

In this episode:

Why resilience is the real foundation of confidence

Helping children build self-worth beyond appearance

Raising girls in the age of filters, influencers and social media

Why Katie encourages her daughter to focus on discovering who she is before worrying about relationships

Katie's work with Smile Train and supporting families and children born with cleft lip and palate around the world

Challenging stigma and misconceptions surrounding facial differences

How becoming a mum transformed Katie's outlook on life