Q: “How Do I Respond When My Child Says: ‘I Feel Fat?’”
Q: “My teen daughter recently told me that she ‘feels fat’ and is unhappy with her body. How do I respond in a way that won’t make her even more body conscious?”Your child feels negatively about her body for the same reason so many teens do: She has no doubt picked up on the fact that our culture sadly values smaller and thinner bodies, and she is comparing herself to others.
Perhaps someone made a comment — not necessarily directly at her — that impacted her body image. Or she might have seen something on social media that did not make her feel good.Your goal is to shift your child’s mindset — and perhaps even your own — around size and body image.
Despite cultural pressures to conform to unrealistic body ideals, it is possible. It’s also necessary. After all, we’re in a serious situation with our kids’ mental health, and we must do something different to protect our children.[Could Your Child Be Showing Signs of an Eating Disorder?
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