Helping Kids Love Their Bodies by Sharon Ballantine l Parenting Advice l Parenting Tips l How to Help Your Childs Self Esteem l Tips to Build Your Kids Self Esteem

Face it - most people have parts of their bodies that they wish were somehow different. By different, it’s generally assumed that they wish these attributes were better. Maybe you don’t like the color of your hair or wish your arms had less loose skin on them. Maybe you want that toned stomach you see Iggy Azalea or Jared Leto sporting.

However, the concept of better is so subjective, it is often unduly influenced by the opinions of other people, many of whom you don’t even know. Images that you see on television, in the movies, and on the pages of magazines are rarely what they appear to be.

Many people think that a poor body image is something that only affects teenage girls, but this is simply not true. People of all ages, both male and female, can suffer the ill effects of having a poor body image.

Set Examples

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Yes, young women often think they are fat and many of them diet to the point of poor health or even anorexia. On the flip-side, there are boys who feel like “90 pound weaklings” and believe they’ll never get a girl or will get sand kicked in their face if they dare show their bare chest at the beach.

This is affecting more children than ever and at younger ages than most would expect. So what can you do as a parent to help your child recognize how beautiful and miraculous their body is no matter how they’re built?

One of the first things to do is pay attention to how you feel about your own body. Are you setting an unhealthy example, constantly monitoring every bite you eat, fixating on your weight, or analyzing your features? So often, people will say negative things about their bodies, which kids can naturally take to heart. Even if you don’t say it out loud, your children still pick up on facial expressions and emotions.

Here are some things you can do to help your kids love theirs, and if you have body issues of your own, you can practice them, too.

Focus on What Your Body Can Do

Instead of focusing on what your body looks like, focus on what your body does for you. Start appreciating that your body carries you around. Your eyes see the world and send messages to your brain. Your arms carry your books, laptops, puppies, and babies.

Once you let go of the idea of how you think you should look, you can start to be grateful for your existing health. This gives you the chance to notice how easily you move through the world, thanks to your wonderful body. You feel the wonderful sensations when you touch something soft, something fuzzy, or touch another person.

As your appreciation for your body increases, you’ll start to feel more beautiful. You’ll show the world your own unique, fantastic self. You will radiate your inner beauty and others will recognize it and be drawn to our positive energy.