Raising confident, opinionated, and strong-willed little beings is a dream every parent has had at some point in their life. I wasn’t very confident about my body, as a child, and hence I am proactive and very conscious of what I say about my daughter’s body to her. Sometimes when I see some ‘concerned’ family members or friends ‘encouraging’ my child to eat less or comment on the fit of the clothes that she’s wearing, I quickly try to dismiss the topic.
As parents, we can only shield our babies from the outside world for a limited time. Once they grow up and venture out, the only things that stay with them are the values and teachings we instill in them as kids. What we should teach our kids is, all body types should be loved and celebrated.
Sometimes I feel I’m still carrying the body image issues from my childhood and I don’t want my daughter to do the same. I have vowed to not shame my daughter and the kids around me in any way or for the choices that they make for themselves. As far as the body is healthy there is absolutely no harm in being a certain body size.
Here are a few tips you can use to help your child develop a healthy relationship with their body
Representation matters:
In the society that we live in, we hardly see a representation of all kinds of bodies. We need to make sure our kids understand the importance of the representation of kinds of bodies in the media. Show them plus-size models and models that are from various ethnic backgrounds to promote body positivity.
Don’t bluff:
It’s not possible to teach our kids that big is beautiful, long legs are adored, or a tummy can be round. Until you don’t believe in it yourself, your kids are going to look right through your act. Address your body issues first before you get serious about them with your little ones.
Be a good listener:
When our kids talk, if we listen to them carefully we can understand their views on things, list out their triggers, and help them with the right strategies to cope up with their struggles. Sometimes kids are bullied at school, for being of a certain colour or body size. You can encourage your children to stand up against bullies and arm up with words they need to stand up for themselves whenever needed.
Practice what you preach:
Kids learn the most from their parents and even pick up their parent’s energies. Be mindful of the language you use around your kids for your body and for their bodies. Don’t make jokes about body shaming others or yourself.
Boost your little one’s self-confidence:
Make affirmations a part of your daily routine with your kids. Praise your kids in a way that their confidence level goes up. It’s pretty easy to knock down someone’s self-worth, so be consistent with your affirmations and compliments. Keep an eye on their talents and boost their self-esteem.
Our kids learn the most from us, it’s our responsibility to teach them to be kind to everyone. Our encouragement nourishes their body, soul, and their overall development. If your kid thinks they are fat, take the gentle approach to remind them that their worth is not determined by their body. They are worthy no matter what and that they’re beautiful no matter what.
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