Self-Image

I was just thinking to myself this morning (which I sometimes do), and realized that one of the most effective ways to give Q a good self-image about her body is to not be verbally abusive of my own. I was looking up some statistics on body image and young girls, and here are some sobering facts I found:

• 46% of 9-11-year-olds are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets.
• 35-57% of adolescent girls engage in crash dieting, fasting, self-induced vomiting, diet pills, or laxatives.
• The average American woman is 5’4” tall and weighs 165 pounds. The average Miss America winner is 5’7” and weighs 121 pounds.

I found many interesting statistics here: http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-facts-eating-disorders. You also don't browse the internet for long before you come across "pro-anorexia" sites featuring young, impressionable teens and preteens idolizing stick-thin celebrities, posting pictures of models with their ribs poking through, and taking awkward downward photos of their protruding hipbones all the while complaining, "I'm soooo fat!"

So I'm wondering how to combat this, and I think I have a good idea of where to start, particularly with something I already mentioned:

1. Don't bash your own body. It's almost a rite of passage for women to complain about their bodies--you might be seen as weird or even *gasp* vain if you don't. But kids are impressionable and pick up on these things. They think, "I didn't notice there was anything wrong with the way mom looks... But she thinks there is, so what if there's something wrong with the way I look?"

2. Cut down on the dieting. Did you know that 95% of people gain back all their lost weight within 1-5 years? Dieting isn't the key, and our children--particularly girls--know when we're measuring portions, counting calories, etc. Instead, emphasize healthy lifestyle changes (I really need to work on this one--burgers and cookies are my weakness). Bust out the Canada food guide and go through it with your kids to show them what exactly healthy eating means. And let them know that sweets are okay sometimes--don't always say, "Oh, I really shouldn't be eating this!" Just enjoy an ice cream cone with your daughter, guilt-free!

3. Limit their exposure to mainstream media. Magazines, TV, movies... They pretty much only showcase ONE body type. Let your children see real people in the real world; teach them to choose heroes based on character, intelligence, strong personality, and individuality, not pants size. Do you want your daughter emulating Carmen Diaz or Madame Curie? (Well, let's hope no one emulates Madame Curie TOO much, because she died from radioactive poisoning.)

I'm interested in hearing more possible suggestions to raising a young girl to have a healthy self-image. But I truly believe that maintaining a positive self-image about ourselves will go a long way in promoting positive self-images in our daughters in the future.