Reflecting On Yourself

One of the best things you can do as a parent is to examine how you feel about your own body. Study after study shows that parents have enormous influence on how their child thinks and feels about his or her body.

Some questions to think about...

How did I feel about my body when I was a child?

Can you share these thoughts with your child?

How do I feel about my body now?

Do you hate how your body looks? Are you uncomfortable in your own skin? If so, think about how you might be conveying these thoughts to your child.

What messages did my parents and other family members send me about my body shape?

What messages were helpful? What messages were not helpful? Reflect on those messages and use them to help you guide your interactions with your child.

How much emphasis do I place on physical appearance, eating, fitness level?

If I were to ask my child how much emphasis you place, would the answer match yours? Do you think you place too much emphasis on these things?

Do I have healthy body image?

If so, what types of things make you feel good about your body? Share your wisdom with your child.
If not, what steps can you take to begin changing this.

Its never to late to change how you feel about yourself.