Help Your Kids Love Their Bodies

I never want my daughter to be like me and struggling with her weight or self image Report

As we grow old, the beauty steals inward.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson Report

Great Ideas! Thanks! Report

It's sad, but we do have to start talking w/our kids about this @ a very young age. They are so susceptible to wht others think. And not that we adults aren't, as well, but kids haven't developed the tools yet to deal with this. It's up to us to help them Report

Great information! Report

Interesting article Report

This is a great article to open the door to discussing this topic w/kids and teens. Report

A timely article. Report

interesting article. I have two daughters and I think about this a lot. I always thought I was overweight growing up, and when I look back now I was so wrong. I don't want them to go through the same thing. Report

The best want to help children love their bodies is to first tell them that you love them as they are. Hug and kiss them. Let them know that no matter what anyone else says, they are perfect as they are. Report

Don't try to get your children to eat more if they are underweight. I can tell you from experience that when young people are encouraged to eat more because they are small or thin, they will often end up overdoing. I was thin, small, etc. and my mother kept pushing food at me. I am almost 200 now after several years of trying to lose the extra weight. I did end up at over 240 at one time. Once a person starts growing up, they can often get to their ideal weight anyway. Also had a friend who was underweight when younger and couldn't get the weight off once she was older. She put on weight under a doctor's direction. Just don't push either way telling them that the way their bodies are isn't right. It's bad whether over or under weight to have people, including your own family laughing at you. Report

This is a great article and I agree with everything that was said but I'm disappointed that setting a good example as a parent was not included in this. I realize the focus was on how to deal with the media's influence but I still feel that what you say around your kids about yourself is the most important way to help your children with their self image and self esteem. Report

Assessments done by schools 'to meet state requirements' are also a form of bullying and guilty of creating a bad body image. Their charts for borderline obese and obese BMIs are not realistic. Children come home crying more often than not. And it leaves parents scratching their heads and trying to pick up the pieces. Report

Nice article. Makes me think.

I have a daughter who is underweight... not overweight. We sometimes joke with her about "being in a car-seat until she goes for a driving test". She already knows about dieting from watching me, but this started before all of that.

I gave up trying to get her to eat for a long time. Even as a baby, she would go days without eating and the pediatricians repeatedly said that "she will eat when she is hungry".

I am just going to get healthy foods. I figure that the few times that she eats, at least she will be getting something nutritious. Report

The challenge I have is my diet is warping HIS perceptions of normal. He'll say things like "Oh, I cant eat that because I'm watching my fat grams." And YES we have had the talk about "no foods are off limits, some foods are just treat foods." And there is NOTHING wrong with his body. He is FINE. Report