What do they see?

Filed Under Tips & Tricks | May 28, 2008

This month Sharon Selby, a local child counsellor, and the brains behind Phonics Wizard, tackles the issue of teaching your child about positive body image. You may think your kids are too young for this to be an issue, but research has shown that by age four children want to be thin. How scary is that?

If you don’t teach your child about a positive body image, their peers, movies, advertisements and TV will. Media can negatively influence your child’s values. Most media promotes unrealistic images, beliefs, and attitudes which can lead to your children feeling badly about themselves. It is never too early to start teaching your child about positive body image.

Here are some ideas for what you can do:

Model healthy behaviours for your children – avoid fad dieting and any mention of the words “diet” or “fattening”. Engage in enjoyable physical activity without going to extremes, model healthy (but not perfect) eating patterns and food choices. In moderation, allow your child some chips, chocolate, and ice-cream in order that they don’t crave it later on.

Make healthy choices accessible in your home – make time to eat together on a regular basis and have fun cooking together. Make healthy snacks easy to access, make physical activity a part of your regular schedule and limit screen time (T.V./computer/video games).

Focus on overall health versus weight-loss – encourage your child to adopt healthy behaviours without focusing on an “ideal” weight. Help your children to learn about themselves, and their qualities, let them know that looks are only a part of who they are.

Provide a supportive home environment – provide unconditional love and let your child know it, be there to listen and provide support if your child discusses weight issues. If your child is “feeling fat”, ask more, “fat” is not a feeling but your child will probably be struggling with negative feelings.

Teach your children – media make fake images and real people come in all shapes and sizes. For females weight gain during puberty is normal. Avoid making weight-related comments about yourself or others and teach that everyone deserves respect, regardless of size. Compliment your friends and family on their wonderful personalities, successes or accomplishments rather than on their weight and shape.

Sharon Selby, B.Ed., M.A., is a local child counsellor. She is the author of The Phonics Wizard Reading Series: a learn-to-read program for parents to teach their own children early literacy skills for ages 2-7.

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