Are you worried about your child’s negative body image? Then you need to know about the body image issues. In this article we will help you to deal with the body image issues in your child.
Body image is one of the key elements in building self esteem in both the adults and children. Distorted body image may make your child physically, mentally weak and unstable. It further retards their social skills and self confidence. Parents’ early intervention may reduce the stress levels in the child and make them assured.
This article provides an overview of body image issues in children. It discusses the signs and effects of body image issues. By the end of the article, you will find ways to prevent body image issues.
What are Body Image Issues?
Body image refers to how people see themselves. It is a distorted or negative view that someone sees their body. The extreme body image issues may lead to dysmorphic disorder, eating disorder, and severe depression. The concern of one’s body image is known to grow with age.
Teens are the most common predators of body image issues. They start to develop the body image with the reference of feedback from their friends, family members, coaches etc. They may start to develop negative vibes thinking about the body part which they don’t like and may get stuck there without thinking about the ways to overcome it.
Body image usually starts when the child is young as 3 years and parents should recognize and intervene at the right time to avoid further complications.
Benefits of Positive Body Image:
A person with a healthy and positive body image is known have the following benefits:
- Good physical and mental health
- Positive body image helps to develop self esteem and self confidence
- It helps one to stay away from the societal pressures
- Positive body image helps to achieve a balanced lifestyle with healthy attitudes
- It helps to eliminate negative thoughts and feelings
Causes of Body Image Issues:
Here are a few reasons for body image issues:
1. Overweight:
Overweight is the major factor that leads to body image issues. People with the body image issues may assume the normal healthy weight as the overweight.
Some obese individuals may not recognize their overweight until a occasion comes where they gets an opportunity to see the reflection of their body in the photo or image.
This type of assumption may lead to eating disorders. With the perception of losing weight on reducing the food intake children may develop restrictive eating habits.
2. Feedback from peers:
Children mostly rely on the feedback of their friends and try to work on them. The feedback that they get from friends or parents makes them develop a negative body image.
3. Advertising images:
Advertising images that are published on the TV or on social media may make the child develop negative body image themselves.
4. Dieting Parents:
Children who grow up with dieting parents or who often worry about their appearance are likely to develop negative image issues.
5. Public health Campaigns:
Public health campaigns make the child with negative image issues to develop further more eating disorders.
6. Weight loss programs:
Children who sit with their parents who always watch weight loss programs are likely to develop a negative self image.
7. Social Media:
Social media is the best platform to connect with people. It has both bright and dark side. Obese children may get depressed on seeing the attractive image that are published on the facebook, twitter etc.
Signs and Symptoms of Body Image Issues:
Here are a few signs of body image issues:
- Frequent comparison of their own body with the others
- Children with body image issues often develop envy on a friend’s body or a celebrity on the social media or in a advertisement
- They are very conscious about their diet and develop eating disorders.
- Children with body image issues develop flaw interfaces in their daily life with their pre occupied minds.
- Their perceived imperfection prevents them to focus on the things.
What are the negative effects of body image issues?
Body image is the major concern for young people. It will develop many short term and long term negative effects. Here are a few effects of body image issues.
1) Emotional Distress:
Children develop discouraging behavior themselves. Children may seem to have a lack of energy and often look any in the complicated angle.
2) Low Self Esteem:
Children with this behavior hardly rely on themselves. They tend to think off the times they failed rather than the times they succeeded. They lack confidence levels and rarely come forward to achieve things.
3) Unhealthy eating habits:
Children with negative body image often skip breakfast and replace the lunch with candies, donuts, coffee, or chips. Parents should help their child to maintain a balanced healthy diet.
4) Anxiety and depression:
Anxiety and depression may have negative impacts on the development of the children. Both these attitudes make the children impossible to learn new things. Offer your child social security which may help them to deal with these emotions.
5) Social Withdrawal:
Children who have a negative image always stay away from the events or parties. Thinking of their negative image makes them shy to actively participate and join in the social groups. These children always lack their social skills.
6) Self Harming Behaviors:
Children with negative image issues develop self harming behaviors like hitting their head against the wall, beating themselves when they burst out of anger.
7) Cease Healthy Habits:
Children may cease the healthy habits which make their body expose to the surrounding. These activities include swimming, exercising etc.
How to Prevent Negative Body Image in your child?
Help your child to understand and overcome the negative image. Here are a few tips help your child coping with body image issues:
1. Appreciate their body ability:
Appreciate your child’s body ability by praising the body part that you like. Initial intervention of the parents makes the child transform easily. Explain to them the importance of treating and safeguarding all the body parts alike. Encourage your child to appreciate the art that every body part does like walking, running, jumping etc. Appreciate the things that your child do as a part of daily routine.
2. Teach your child the acceptance:
Genetics play a prominent role in building one’s body. Teach your kid that the things that developed from genetics cannot be changed and there is nothing to worry about genetically derived things. Explain to them that everyone may have something which is genetically derived. Tell them not to compare their body image with friends, family members, or advertising images as we are all not same and born with unique features.
3. Model a positive body image:
Negative body image may lead to depression, anxiety, self consciousness. Children may often develop eating disorders. Modeling a negative image makes them feel bad about themselves.
Use the proper phrases and language in front of your child. Don’t use words like fat and diet. Your young minds are more susceptible to these words.
4. Teach them to follow their tummy:
Make your child rely on their hunger and tummy. Tell them to eat as much food as they can till they feel full. This makes children feel safe and comfortable being open to all the food items. By following this rule, children soon develop a normalizing attitude towards eating.
5. Teach them the importance of physical activity:
Let your kid understand that a restricted diet cannot make them thinner, it’s all the physical activity that makes them active, healthy, and develop the healthy posture. Make sure that your kid spends stipulated time for exercise and don’t overdo exercise with the perception of becoming thinner in a shorter span.
6. Talk to them about empty and full stomach:
Tell them to eat only if they are hungry and ask them to stop whenever they feel full. Explain to them the impact of food on the digestive system. Discuss with your kids how their bodies feel at present. Make them always feel connected to their bodies.
7. Never let your kid to compare with others:
Ask your kid not to compare with the friends, family members, or celebrities. It might be difficult to stop negative comparing in your child. Make them clearly understand that each one is born different with unique features and attitudes. Tell them comparison and mimicking do not yield positive results.
8. Avoid the triggers of feeling fat and alone:
Observe when your child thinks of their negative image and spends most of the time in front of the mirror. Children usually think about negative images when they are alone or when they are yelled at. Avoid the time that kids spend their time alone and practice the techniques to stop yelling at your kids.
9. Make them to habituate healthy eating habits:
Make your kids understand that eating good food does not make them fat. Eating right food in the right amounts will help to attain healthy body posture. Allow them to feel right about their body this makes them build a positive attitude.
10. Allow your kid to have a good sleep:
Good and proper sleeping habits may help the kid to achieve balance over the emotions and lead a stress free life. Proper sleep will help them to have good posture.
11. Let your kid listen to the needs of the body:
In order to feel good, bodies need to be stretched, and nourished. The best way to achieve the ‘feel good’ state is to include exercise in daily routine. Let your child understand the needs of their body like flat tummy, strong muscles etc before starting with the exercise.
12. Let your child understand that beauty is not associated with the skin:
Tell your child that fair skin tone is not the one and only symbol of beauty. There are many attributes like self esteem, self confidence and social behavior that contribute to the flawless beauty.
13. Involve your child in cooking:
Allow your kid to spend some time in the kitchen and let them know the calories and nutritious value of the food items.
14. Do something that appeal your child:
Do something to appreciate the hidden talents of your child. Perform the activities that make your child active like plan for a trip to local grocery store and read some stories at bedtime.
15. Help your child to enjoy the company of the people with positive attitude:
It will be easier for your kid to feel good about their body when they are surrounded by supportive people with a positive mindset. Help your kid to recognize the art of liking themselves in the natural way they are.
16. Protect your kid from the social media:
Social media is one of the carriers for the negative body image with certain slogans, images, or attitudes. These slogans or attitudes may make your child feel bad about their body. Ensure that your kid is away from the discouraging actions of social media.
17. Help your child to develop gratitude:
This is the best way to deal with the child body image issues. Clearly explain to your child that there are many people with disabilities in many parts of the world. Allow them to feel grateful for what being offered to them.
18. Allow your kids to wear the dresses that fit them:
Ask your kids to wear clothes that are fit and comfortable. Help your kids in choosing the outfits that enhance the appearance of their favorite body parts and praise overall figure.
19. Help your child to deal with the body insecurity:
The key of achieving body security lies in accepting the all body sizes. Explain to your kids that they do not need to feel self conscious of their body. It is perfectly alright to accept the way they are.
20. Combat self negative thoughts about your body:
Help your kid to overcome their negative inner voice. Help them with the ways to acknowledge and challenge it. Help them to replace the negative thoughts with the positive thought.
Tips to deal with the negative body image:
Here are a few tips that help overcoming body image issues:
- Help your kid in making a self assessment regarding the development of negative image
- Strengthen your bond with your child and make them feel secure.
- Allow your kids to participate in the events of body image dissatisfaction
- Never say negative words about your body in front of your child.
- Limit your child’s access to TV shows and magazines with unrealistic body images.
- Focus and praise the strengths outside of your child’s body.
We are living in a culture where thinness and appearance plays a key role. Help your child to overcome the negative perception of their body and make them love and accept their body the way it is.
