Set Examples
Yes, young women often think they are fat and many of them diet to the point of poor health or even anorexia. On the flip-side, there are boys who feel like “90 pound weaklings” and believe they’ll never get a girl or will get sand kicked in their face if they dare show their bare chest at the beach.
This is affecting more children than ever and at younger ages than most would expect. So what can you do as a parent to help your child recognize how beautiful and miraculous their body is no matter how they’re built?
One of the first things to do is pay attention to how you feel about your own body. Are you setting an unhealthy example, constantly monitoring every bite you eat, fixating on your weight, or analyzing your features? So often, people will say negative things about their bodies, which kids can naturally take to heart. Even if you don’t say it out loud, your children still pick up on facial expressions and emotions.
Here are some things you can do to help your kids love theirs, and if you have body issues of your own, you can practice them, too.