Why It’s Important To Convey Positive Messages About The Body In Front Of Children
Children are like sponges: they learn everything they see in their parents, listen to everything they say and imitate everything they do. In this way, parents have a great responsibility, not only for the education of their children, but also for their emotional development and personal growth. Therefore, messages about the body must be positive.
Parents also need to be very aware that criticizing their appearance in front of their children, especially if they are young, can be a serious mistake. If you don’t want your kids to have problems with their bodies, it ‘s important to help them love their bodies in the healthiest way possible.
the body and the children
It is not necessary for your children to grow up too aware of their appearance, but it is important that they are aware of their health, without a doubt. In this way, you must be a good role model so that your children can see in you an example to follow, regardless of your current physical appearance.
As parents, we always want to provide examples of healthy behavior for children. If a mother (or father) is obsessed with the weight in front of the child, it can send the child the message that someone is just as adorable and attractive as the image in the mirror.
This can make it harder for a child to grow up with healthy ideas about beauty, weight and what’s healthy.
Parents who despise themselves physically
Parents who criticize each other’s weight and appearance may think this type of interaction is okay, but it’s almost abusive and definitely devalues the other verbally. A child who sees this type of interaction may internalize this type of verbal interaction as something totally normal.
Little ones may also adopt this verbal style in their own relationships or be attracted to relationships in which this type of verbal exchange feels common, familiar, and therefore desirable, either as an initiator or a receiver.
Positive messages about the body
The best kind of message parents can convey to their children is that beauty exists in many different forms. One of the most important goals when it comes to the body is to be healthy.
It is necessary to focus on a child’s inner beauty and point out role models that look similar to your child as valid role models. This can serve as a positive motivation for the child to embrace and love their own unique appearance.
Does body image affect girls more than boys?
Both girls and boys are affected by cultural ideas about what is desirable when it comes to body image. However, looks have always been less important to a man’s overall success in life and it seems that this message was consciously and unconsciously sent to each gender as they grew up.
Body image problems and eating disorders happen to both boys and girls. Sometimes the body obsession takes a different form called body dysmorphia, which is the obsession with increasing volume, that is, reverse anorexia.
Some of these body image problems go unnoticed or undiagnosed in children, which could explain some of the variable statistics we’ve observed.
Positive Body Messages: Parents Must Deal With Their Own Body Image Issues
Parents must know what they do and say and also how they act, including how they treat each other, because this conveys a powerful message to their children. Therefore, they should think about the kinds of messages they want to convey to children.
It is also beneficial for mothers to educate themselves about the postpartum body. It takes time to get back in shape. Understanding this can be very helpful and can help to minimize the tendency to hate and attack yourself.
The best antidote to body dissatisfaction is to take proper and healthy steps. So if you’re not satisfied with something about yourself, turn your dissatisfaction into a new goal.
We all need to be aware of different types of beauty when it comes to body types. So if you want to feel good about the way you look, work to be the best you can be. Be willing to overcome body image issues with your children. Always, of course, from a positive perspective and a supportive parenting style.
