A New Service for Parents: Foster Body Confidence in your Child

Promoting a positive body image in your child needs to start early. In my work with preschool mothers and fathers and early childhood specialists, I hear so many similar stories…

“My three year old daughter was standing in the mirror this morning holding her breath and sticking her stomach in. When I asked her what she is was doing she told me that a girl in her class told her that her tummy was fat.”

“My 6 year old son asked me not to pack any cookies or ‘bad foods’ in his lunch box anymore. When I asked him about it, he said that the other kids at the lunch table look around at what everyone is eating. He doesn’t want to be teased for having ‘junk’ food.”

“I took my daughter to her pediatrician for her well check. After the nurse weighed her she said, Wow. You gained a lot of weight this year. Have you been eating a lot of junk food?”

These are some of the comments I have heard in the past couple of months. Why is this happening? Why are three-year olds already worrying about their bodies? The issue stems from our deep-rooted western culture. For girls, all that you have to do is look in the clothing aisle or the yearly costume selection: princesses and beauty while boys are wearing ‘fake’ six pack and muscle suits. These children don’t have cell phones or social media accounts yet, but they are for sure comparing themselves to one another. Children are surrounded by our societys' obsessions with beauty and the ‘perfect body’. Youth are constantly hearing about Uncle Sam’s new diet, low carb, low sugar, and low fat. Our kids are constantly hearing about some famous person who lost or gained weight. It is inevitable, even if you outlaw cell phones and television in your home, that your child will get these messages in one way or another. I am asked, almost on a daily basis, “What can I do?” I remind parents that they are the best lines of defense for combatting theses messages and they are the biggest influences on their children.

Next month MEDA is hosting a special training for parents of children ages 2-6 years of age. The program entitled Confident Body, Confident Child (CBCC), meets for two hours, two weeks a part. MEDA is also hosting a special series for individuals who are currently struggling with food issues or who are in recovery from of an eating disorder.

According to Monique Bellefluer, MEDA’s Director of Community Education, "CBCC is the first evidence-based program for parents and MEDA is the first organization to be trained in the United States. The program comes from Australia and is backed by research. What is so exciting about the program is that it teaches healthy eating without negatively influence body image."

For more information, please call MEDA at 617-558-1881, or visit the website at www.medainc.org.