As children, we start to internalize thoughts about ourselves from an early age. These thoughts and attitudes are often reflective of the way our parents think about themselves – meaning parents have a big job of creating their own positive body image in order to help their children develop the same.
According to the National Eating Disorder Association, 40-60% of girls aged 6 –12 in elementary school were conscious about their weight and body. And if this mindset isn’t fixed early on, this self-consciousness can easily follow girls and boys into puberty. Then, with the onset of imbalanced hormones, teens can start to be massively affected by negative body image. Studies show that those with low self-esteem in their teens are more susceptible to developing eating disorders, with some even needing anorexia treatment in later life.
When we see our parents worry about their bodies, weight, or size, this reinforces the idea that we need to look a certain way. Children that don’t grow up with self-conscious parents are much more likely to have a positive body image and higher self-confidence.
Negative body image and low self-esteem are commonly linked to the development of eating disorders in young adulthood, which is why, as parents, we need to start putting positive practices into place for our children so that they know how to love, respect, and accept their bodies – no matter what size or shape they are.
And here’s how we can do it:
It starts from within
While we all want the best for our children, we also need to accept that we should be looking after ourselves too. If we can think more positively about our own bodies and practice what we preach, we will be able to encourage our children to do the same.
And although learning to accept our bodies may take some time, we can fake it till we make it: stop commenting negatively on your own appearance in front of your children (and away from them too!).
Don’t make food the culprit
As we age, our bodies change, and we’ll all, at one stage or another, be tempted to diet or work out a little more than before. However, diet talk should be avoided around children. It’s acceptable to want to live a happier and healthier lifestyle by taking up exercise and eating sweet treats in moderation. However, when we start to categorize food into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and make food the culprit, this can be harmful to both us and our kids.
Stop body comparing
This is a habit we could all do without, but it’s particularly important to avoid around the kids. If children see someone they respect comparing themselves to people in public, on the TV, or in magazines, they’re more likely to do the same.
As an adult, you can feel however you want to feel about your body – but it’s always nice to work on regaining confidence and creating a positive attitude towards body image for yourself and your children.
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