It would be difficult for me to teach my children how to speak French, because sadly I only know a few phrases. Arguably, it might also be difficult for parents to teach their children to have a positive body image if they don’t have a positive body image. However, “body image” is not a discreet skill. It’s more of a mindset or even a way of viewing the world. If you are a parent who feels dissatisfied with your own body, you can change your mindset and behaviors to the benefit of your kids. Along the way, you’re likely to experience a body image boost as well.
There are entire books I recommend to help parents who are invested in raising body positive kids, but following are a few tips to get you started.
Don’t disparage your own body. In fact, talk about how amazing our bodies are. You may not even realize that you say negative thing about your own and others’ bodies. Many of us were brought up in families where, “Do these pants make my butt look big?” was a common question. But what this teaches our kids is that it’s normal—expected, even—to be discontent with our bodies.
What if, instead of saying we hate our thighs every time we think it, we don’t let ourselves say it? Our kids don’t need to hear it, and when we say it less, we will ultimately think it less. We will perseverate less about our thighs and, in the process, teach our kids that they don’t need to either.
When you think something negative........