Body Image and Little Girls (page 2)

Simon

What a great society. Maybe turning the TV off would be a good step.

StinkyPantz

I betcha body image issues have been around A LOT longer than TVs have..

DanTheMan

This is really sad. Kids can be so mean.

Perhaps pointing out a happy adult couple where the woman is plus-sized would dispel some fears?

Simon

I betcha body image issues have been around A LOT longer than TVs have..

I betcha the disproportionate emphasis on body image has got a lot worse with the TV generation

Undaunted Danny

Try to envision a little boy with a colostomy bag.

The only thing worse is a little girl with it.

Believe it or not we all love our appliance because the disease severe ulcerative colitis is that bad.

LittleToe

Very often kids of that mindset try to spear something that'll niggle their peers (my brother would do that).
If something gets a reaction, even surprise, they'll play on it.

The advice, above, to remind them that it's only someone's opinion may help.

I've seen the pics of your kids, and they look great.
Like you, I'm horrified that they should have concerns over body-image raised when they are so young.
They should be enjoying their innocence.
I feel really sorry for "friend", as you really do have to worry about what kind of an environment she's being raised in!

SixofNine

I know it will be hard for you two type A'ers, but if you care about your daughter, you're going to have to pull her out of school and get seriously hippy, like me and my ex Eva Wonder did with little Zoe-MoonKiss. The earth and the stars will embrace and center your daughter in no time, if you just let them. All that ganja you've been torching up is a good start, but you need to get her out of the everyday, constant influence of the SUV crowd. :P~

LyinEyes

It would be great if just turning off the TV would stop this........but in all reality,,,,,,,,,,,,,it is everywhere.

There are magazines,,,,,,,,TV as mentioned,,,,,,,there is the internet. Even if there were no "media" type of influences.....there is always peer pressure.

Right now people are influenced by the media of rich , famous, thin and beautiful people. Even if you as a family decided to have no television, no internet, no magazines,,,,,,,,there will always be peer pressure. Young people are going to mold what is in and what is out by what is popular and accepted as beautiful in their time.

You would have to go to a deserted island not to have your child heavily influenced about their outward appearance,,,,,it is just the way our society is right now.......and it is very desturbing but a fact.

This reminded me of a song that was remade here lately,,,,,,,I can't think of the name , but it used to be a sweet song about a boy who liked a girl. Now the song has been remade and the lyrics are dirty,,,,,talking about " her sexy body, doing some dirty dance with her",,,,,it just made me sad that 40 yrs ago or maybe less,,,,,,,,this song would have been been an insult to a young girl. The song just seems to talk about her body, her sexuality and the guy wanting to "be" with her. I don't know maybe I am just getting older and since my daughter is 11 and growing up,,,,,,,I wouldnt want a guy singing or dedicated that song to her.

franklin J

I think Lyin eyes hit the nail on this one; the society we live in is PERMEATED with the "rich , thin, young" celebrities plastered all over the media. And remember that the camera adds 10 pounds in photos; these people are REALLY thin.

Our teenagers are influenced by EVERYTHING around them. We can only set the example. Our criticizing will not help

I have a 13 year daughter who has studied classical ballet since she was 5. I guess we were lucky in that at 5 years old she never thought she was "fat". She is very serious about her dance ; and is being groomed for a professional carreer in dance ( THAT is for another post). Her instructors expect her to be dancing professionally by the time she is 18. Although she is 13 ; she is very good, and has already danced in productions with local dance troups.

She is expected to go away to dance camps every summer. Trouble is my wife and I have seen some of these "young peers" she would be exposed to. Some look anorexic. It is a known fact that dancers have eating disorders. It is an on going problem when she will not eat because she thinks she is "overweight"; and will only drink water. This is a sore spot in my family right now. We encourage her to follow her instincts for a career; and we are thrilled that she is so focused at such a young age. However the body image these girls have of themselves is so VERY RIGID.

The problem goes deeper than the dance culture, though. Not sure what the reason is; or how to counter act it.

jgnat

The first thing I thought of when I saw the title is, "A girl's image comes from her dad!" I dad letting her know she is beautiful? That means so much.

The second thing was, "The playground is a jungle!" I didn't figure out a good way to deal with schoolyard bullies until I was in my thirties. By then it was too late to help me or my children. The trick is to stop giving off victim vibes. You can teach your girl to laugh off the stupid remarks, and distract the bully by turning it back on them. A child whose head is held high, regardless, is picked on a lot less. You can teach your daughter how to do this by role-playing back and forth. She can practice responding in different ways in a safe environment.

The third thing, "Television does make a difference!" In brains, athletics, and looks, we now compete with the entire world. Which of us can beat that guy on Jeopardy? Will any of our children be good enough for the olympics? How many Julia Roberts' are born each year? In years past, we only had the people within one buggy's ride to compare with. The plumpy girls and stumpy boys had a better shot of getting a partner. On the other hand, such closed communities did not allow for much privacy. Everybody knew your business, and NOBODY forgot that you wet your pants in grade three. I figure parents can compensate by teaching their children to set personal goals of excellence, that reaching for their personal best is heroic in it's own right.

Princess, it is obvious that you are an involved and concerned parent. You are already doing so many things right. I am sure all will be fine. By the way, I took a very similar approach towards food. Though I am overweight, both my children are normal weight to this day, and both are concerned about nutrition. I had the food groups posted on the fridge always, stocked the cupboards with mostly healthy stuff, and didn't make a big fuss over their eating (too much or too little). My mom worried constantly over my and my sister's weight, and we struggle to this day.

Body Image and Little Girls

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