three ways to support your teen with their body image
It’s Term 4, the weathers heating up… and diet culture is gearing up to teach your teen how to look their best for the summer.
While the reels, TikToks and other media might not explicitly say (though some do), “here is how to shred down for summer” that is the subliminal messaging underlying detoxes, cleanses, clean eating, 12-week exercise challenges and high protein gym snacks.
With all of that in mind, what can you as a parent or teacher do to support your young person with their body image?
If you Google this you will get loads of great advice, but it can be super hard to put into practice, so I want to keep it simple. Actions speak loader than words a lot of the time so here are three little things you can do that can have a huge impact on the way your young person thinks and feels about their body:
1. speak positively about your body
This can be hard to do in a world where we constantly have an unrealistic beauty standard being dangled in front of our eyes. We can create a new narrative for our young people by speaking kindly about our bodies and what they do for us. We can do this by saying things like, “I am so proud of my body”, “I appreciate my body”, “My body is so strong.”
2. don’t comment on a person’s body
Refrain from commenting on the bodies of others, it is damaging…even if you’re giving a compliment. People are so much more than the bodies they exist in. Can you try commenting on a person’s kindness, generosity, and achievements instead.
3. wear clothes you feel confident in
Encourage your teen to choose clothes that make them feel confident by choosing clothes that you feel confident in too! Our clothes can be a fantastic vehicle for showcasing our personality, mood, and style. Have fun with it. That demonstration of fun and joy is so contagious (in the best way)!
Remember, when a young person watches one of their role models engage in dieting and self-criticism, it ‘normalises’ it. It can also increase the likelihood of your young person developing feelings of inadequacy and body dissatisfaction which may lead them to follow the same behaviours.
Parents and carers can have a really positive impact on the body image of the young people in their lives. Express gratitude for your body, compliment the skills and qualities of others and dress in a way that brings you joy. By showing unconditional love towards your own body and that of others, you are demonstrating that no matter what a person looks like, they are worthy and loveable.
