As adults, we often pick and nag at the things we don’t like about our bodies. This can translate into your child's vocabulary of how they talk about their own body and can create issues around food and body confidence.
Tools To Battle Body NegativityAfter early traumatic messages and social media sent Dana Suchow into an unhealthy lifestyle filled with eating disorders and unhealthy habits, Dana decided to make a difference in prevention to make sure no child felt the same way that she did. Now she helps teachers, parents, and caregivers raise body confident teens and kids while also examining their own internal dialogues.
Dana is all about creating an environment where kids learn to take care of their bodies and feel safe and accepted regardless of what they look like. Today she is here to answer questions that came directly from you, the audience, so that you can learn how to raise kids that love their bodies.
Learn everything from the importance of letting children speak, to how to set boundaries in a body-shaming home, why you should be diversifying your social media and essential tools to help you raise kids that are ultimately confident in their bodies no matter what.
Do you know a parent, teacher or caregiver that could use this information to create a body-positive environment? Tag them in the comments on the episode page and let us know what you loved most about this episode while you're at it.
On Today's Episode Tools to equip kids against body negativity when they are outside the home Setting rules around the language about the body used around your child How to help and encourage kids who are overweight without nagging Ways that you can prevent eating disorders in kids through self-love Addressing toxic masculinity and how to approach this conversation with boys
Quotes
“Really what we need to be doing is letting kids know that we will love them no matter what their bodies look like. Asking them ‘where did you hear that, where did you learn that it is wrong to be plus-sized or it is wrong to have fat on your body?’ Because there is nothing wrong with it.” (24:36)
“Kids are like sponges, and they pick up how we talk about our own bodies. They pick up what we say, but they also pick up what we don't say.” (32:58)
“When you love something you do what’s best for it. And if we can teach kids to love these incredible natural machines that we were given, they will make better choices in their lives, they will take better care of themselves, and they will be more outgoing and confident in their lives.” (36:17)
“Shame doesn't work, so shaming a child because they are ‘overweight’ isn't going to work. The only thing that will work for your child to be at a weight that is healthy for them, which may not be thin, is love.” (44:14)
Resources Mentioned In This Show
View Dana’s Body Image Resources Here
Follow Dana on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Nutritional Therapy Association Website
Check out the full show notes here!
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