Ashley Graham has been an impactful force in shifting the conversation on beauty standards throughout her career. From being the first curvy model to grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2016 and being unapologetically vocal about size inclusivity, to sharing unfiltered photos on her Instagram account, Graham is moving the needle in the right direction.
The 36-year-old mom of three is now sharing her wisdom directly with children through A Kids Book About Beauty, out now. The book, which she dedicated to her 9-year-old self who needed these words, is aimed at kids ages 5 to 9. The goal is to help them embrace the skin they’re in through empowering and thought-provoking words. It’s part of the A Kids Book About series, which tackles different topics in each release.
“We live in such a society that is telling young adults how they’re supposed to look and how they’re supposed to perceive themselves,” she shares with Parents. “I thought, ‘Well, this is something I’m definitely an expert in and I’ve been in this world for 25 years—this would be something I would be very grateful to be able to contribute to society.’ So, I was really excited to be able to lend my voice to the subject of beauty.”
The Side Hustlers host is also mindful of teaching positive beauty lessons to her three sons—Isaac, 4, and twins Malachi and Roman, 2,—whom she shares with husband Justin Ervin. Her main tip: focusing on how she talks about herself in front of them. “They’re so young but they’re never not listening; they’re taking in everything,” says Graham.
Graham, a Lincoln, Nebraska native, credits her own mother for teaching her the value of that. “She never spoke poorly about herself in front of me and my sisters, and she always had an upbeat personality and motivational kind of outlook on life,” says Graham. “That’s what I’m going to instill in my boys. I’ve never spoken bad about myself when speaking to somebody about myself.”
She’s also focusing on building a healthy relationship with food in her household. Graham, who partnered with Oikos, Light + Fit, and Too Good & Co. for the REMIX Snack & Streamapalooza, tries to offer her kiddos as little sugar as possible but lets them enjoy snacking.
“We try not to let the kids overindulge in just one thing,” she says. “We try to make it a variety.”
On their snacking menu is usually REMIX yogurts because “they get to dump it in and then mix it and they think the interaction is so much fun,” she says. But she’s also picked up some simple hacks that make snacking easier. “I have put [the yogurts] in the freezer and then it feels like a whole new kind of dessert or treat that the kids get to have,” she says.
Her boys also love chowing down on frozen fruit. “I don’t get it, but I’m like, ‘OK, go for it,’” she jokes. “I don’t have to make popsicles all summer long—they just eat the frozen fruit, which is great.”
She’s also a fan of the Bobby Approved app, which scans food labels to help users know if a product is healthy or not.
Again, she says it all comes down to habits her kids see her engage in, such as self-talk. What’s more, Graham says her views on her own beauty have changed in a positive way since she’s become a mother.
“I feel like I’m a lot kinder to myself and I have more grace for myself,” she says. “My body has just changed so much, from the inside to the outside.”
Through posts she shares on social media, including a photo showing the realities of a postpartum body, Graham appears to embrace any changes her body has gone through. It’s an important lesson her three boys will continue to soak in.
“I think a parent’s duty is to really instill these ideals in their kids through themselves,” she says. “If you don’t like yourself, your kid is going to pick up on that.”
