While it is often thought that the teenage years are when our children can start to suffer from body image issues, you’d be surprised to learn that these issues can surface at a much younger age. Girls in particular, though boys also suffer from body image issues, can actually start to become unhappy with their body when they are as young as 5-years old.
Unfortunately, cases of body issues in children are increasing year on year due to the ‘ideal’ body image that is portrayed throughout media. Movies, television shows, magazines and the internet will always deliver what is deemed to be the type of body that we should all aspire to. Children can also experience teasing and bullying from other children about their bodies which only adds fuel to the fire.
The question is, as parents, how do you spotting when your children are struggling with these issues and how can you help to prevent the issues from getting worse?
Detection is usually the hardest part, especially as the child gets older and learns how to disguise their issues more effectively. Parents need to be able to spot when their child might be developing issues about their body image as early as possible so that they can educate them- which can prevent the issues from getting worse.
Does your child make comments about their body weight? Have they mentioned that they get teased about a part of their body? Do they call themselves ugly? Even things like mentioning that they want to be a model when they grow up or are constantly trying to look like their favourite actor or actress can be an early indicator.
We all know that kids can be fussy eaters but parents need to be able to tell when it becomes much deeper than that. If they are refusing to eat their favourite types of foods, this might be a sign that they are concerned about their weight. As parents, it’s important to teach your children from a young age that while it is important to eat and live healthily, that they should feel confident and happy about how they look. Education and how you, yourself act are the keys to preventing body issues developing in your children.
As children, the last thing they should be worrying about is standing on the scales each day. At that age, it is the responsibility of the parents to make sure that they are eating healthily. A child that makes a habit of weighing themselves daily might be suffering from body image issues no matter what age they are.
Phrases such as “I look fat in this” or “Just a little ice cream for me as I’ll get fat” are already subliminally sending your children messages that it is normal to worry about body image. Instead, show that you are confident in your own body and your child will pick up on that. Kids will also pick up when you say something about the appearance of another person in a negative way. Even little quips like “he has a big nose” or “her bum is big” will tell your child that society is always judging others. If their parents are doing it, everybody else must be too.
Always try to emphasise healthy eating and exercise in your children. Take them out on activities rather than allowing them to sit on their gadgets all day. Teach your children about nutrition, which is good food and which is bad but that it is okay to eat bad food in moderation.
Body image issues are an increasing concern in children and they are something that we and society, in general, should be doing more to prevent. Just by being more aware of how our children are feeling and more conscious of what we are saying in front of them can go a long way in helping our children to avoid these issues.
