Little girl's body image.
Moms, I know you love your daughters and want the best for them but please don’t put your anxiety about your daughter’s weight onto your daughter; especially when they are little and when they are in their teens.
Girl’s body image is tenuous at best so hearing from significant people that you are eating too much or looking heavier makes a girl anxious and worried about her body image. She gets enough pressure from peers, boys, and the media!
After she internalizes your negative messages about her body she will now tell these things to herself. She believes herself to have an unacceptable body image. This can last a lifetime! Make sure the way your daughter looks isn’t tied into your anxiety about what others will think.
Mom, if you have anxiety about your daughter’s weight then you can seek counseling for yourself. You can learn t0 calm yourself and help your daughter in a more productive manner. Make sure you are role modeling heathy eating behaviors!
If your daughter is gaining weight where she is becoming unhealthy, that’s the time to have a gentle but honest and loving conversation. Then you can problem solve together on how to help her learn to eat healthier and you can also contact a professional therapist, and/or a dietician, or even something like Weight Watchers.
If your daughter’s weight and eating behavior is tied into deeper issues and feelings then you definitely need to work with a therapist who specializes in treating eating disorders.
Want to find out if your daughter has an eating disorder?
