How to help daughter with body image

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Wellspring Camps for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I received an e-mail last week, from a reader, with the subject line of how to help daughter with body image, so today I wanted to help.  Our kids are getting to the age where they are starting to notice and repeat things that we say about ourselves and others- I want them to know that they are beautiful.  It is SO (stressing this!) important to remember that we need to speak positively if we want our children to THINK positively.   It takes effort and I have to be pay attention to it constantly, but it is important.

1- Don’t talk about being “on a diet” 

I try not to talk about Diets…  I don’t say “I’m dieting to lose weight ” because I want our kids to know that eating healthy is normal.  It is a way of life.  It isn’t a fad or a “this week” thing.  It is an “all the time” thing.  I recently read about Wellspring Camps (the nations leading provider of weight loss, health & wellness.  These weight loss camps for children and teens helps the children improve self-esteem and long-term health) and how they teach kids to avoid fad teen diets, but instead to eat healthier versions of foods that they love.  This is a goal of mine for our kids.  Just teaching them that instead of fried chicken, we eat baked chicken.  Instead of pouring sugar syrup on our pancakes, we just add a touch of real maple syrup.  Simple things that make a big impact.

2.  When shopping, don’t say things like “Oh- I would never be able to eat that!” when looking at certain foods.

Its just not true.  You CAN eat it, you are just choosing not to.  Tell them why.   I love how Wellspring teaches kids how to shop and cook on their own.  I think that we, as parents, need to do the same.  Teach them how to go shopping and make good choices, but tell them why.  “I am going to pick up this bag of carrots instead of the chips, because chips are not healthy for our body.  They make use feel tired and sluggish and they won’t help us to be healthy.”

3.  Stop saying that you don’t look good in something.

Instead of saying that you don’t like the way you look, make a conscious effort to find something that you do like about yourself and point it out.  “I love the way that my hair is curling today!”  Or “These shoes are really comfortable and they make the outfit pop, don’t you think?”  Or even a simple ‘I love the way that I look today.’   The key?  SAY IT OUT LOUD and let your kids hear you.

4- Teach them to love being outdoors!

If you love being outside and playing, so will your kids!   Take Wellspring’s example on this one and try some of their activities – the kids will love these:

Aerobics kickboxingWhite water raftingSurfing/kayakingTubingScavenger huntsPersonal training
Now – to jumpstart our “healthy talk” lifestyle, I want to offer you TWO things, just for our readers!  1- If you register for the Wellspring Camp for this summer, you will receive a $600 discount with a code “success”2- If you enter the giveaway below, you will have a chance to win a Fitbit Flex, thanks to Wellspring Camp!   To enter, just leave a comment below telling me three activities that you would enjoy the most at Wellspring Camp. I’m pretty sure that our kids would love the surfing one!