21/12/2015
Resolutions this year? Be mindful who hears them. πβοΈ
A great reminder for anyone planning New Year's resolutions this year! As observed by Mayo Clinic experts, "moms are probably the most important influence on a daughter's body image," surpassing the impact of other significant influencers such as media and peers. Given the importance of mothers as body image role models, Dr. Leslie Sim, clinical director of Mayo Clinic's eating disorders program, recommends that they avoid talk about weight, diets, and outer appearances around their daughters.
"Zero comments not only about your daughter's weight, obviously, but zero talk about your weight and even other people's weight," says Sim. Rather than focus on weight, parents can model healthy behaviors for their children such as eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. It's also important to talk with young girls about natural changes in their bodies, especially as girls approach puberty and may experience normal weight gain during this development period. To read more in USA Today, visit http://usat.ly/19gggom
For two great books for children about the importance of loving yourself, we highly recommend "I Like Myself" for ages 3 to 8 (http://www.amightygirl.com/i-like-myself) and "A Smart Girl's Guide to Liking Herself, Even on the Bad Days" for ages 9 to 12 (http://www.amightygirl.com/a-smart-girl-s-guide-to-liking-herself).
For an excellent guide focused on body image issues for teens 13 and up, check out "The Body Image Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help Girls Develop a Healthy Body Image in an Image-Obsessed World" for ages 13 and up at http://www.amightygirl.com/body-image-workbook
If you have an older Mighty Girl, we recommend books to help girls navigate issues related to puberty, including normal changes in weight and body shape, in our post on "Talking with Tweens and Teens about their Bodies" at http://www.amightygirl.com/blog/?p=2229
For a great parenting book about fostering positive body image that addresses the issue of moms' grappling with their own body image issues, check out βYouβd Be So Pretty If...: Teaching Our Daughters to Love Their Bodies -- Even When We Donβt Love Our Ownβ at http://www.amightygirl.com/you-d-be-so-pretty-if
And, for resources for parents on encouraging a healthy self-esteem and positive body image in their daughters, visit our "Body Image" parenting section at http://amgrl.co/1mf3td8
Thanks to Grrrl for sharing this great image!