Are you guilty of this? Do you step on the scale each morning and mutter an incoherent statement, something along the lines of how you really really need to lose weight? Or maybe you complain while you’re getting dressed, that your clothes are too tight. Maybe you talk too much about needing to exercise and lose weight. Maybe you starve yourself or become cranky often because of some new diet.
Do you have kids? Then let me tell you—they notice.
They may not say it or vocalize it so you can hear it, but slowly, it can start to affect their self-esteem as well. Think about it. You’re their mom, their dad, their parent. You are the center of their world, especially when they are small. As they grow, even if they don’t admit it, you are still a great influence on your children. And that includes your body image.
Most people aren’t happy with their bodies. It’s a cultural phenomenon. Women in this country strive for model thinness. And even those who don’t can’t help but have every form of media plastered in their faces telling them they SHOULD strive for it.
The problem is, our insecurities quickly leak onto our children. I’m guilty myself. Each morning I hop on the scale. I now remain silent or yell “yay!” when my children are in the room. Trust me, that’s not always easy. My kids want to get on the scale too. So every day they hop on, as a game, and every day I say the same thing…”perfect!” They like the scale now. They think it’s funny and they want to see their weight increase. I’ve told them they are perfect. And if the numbers go up they equate it to strong muscles and lots of vegetables. Still, I’ve made mistakes. I’ve started protein diets and vocalized it enough that my son once said to me he didn’t want to eat “protein.”
Just be careful. Kids have watchful eyes. They watch us when we’re aware they are doing so, and even when we’re not.