The pursuit for a perfect body or appearance can have a heavy toll on girls and they face significant pressure to look attractive. Maintaining a healthy body image during adolescence, a period of major physical and emotional changes, can be difficult.
Peer pressure, media promotions, family members, or natural weight gain after puberty are some of the factors that can harm a girl’s image.
A negative body image can harm girls’ nutrition, causing them to skip meals or take diet pills. This can push them into a cycle of low self-esteem, depression and eating disorders, and can take away their ability to concentrate on other pursuits.
So how do we develop our young girls to have self-esteem and maintain a healthy body image?
As mothers, talking about body image with our daughters can help them become comfortable in their own skin. Explaining the effects of puberty, discussing self-image, using positive language, helping them to establish healthy eating habits, praising achievements, promoting physical activity and encouraging positive friendships can boost their confidence.
If she is still struggling with a negative body image, consider professional counseling. Additional support might give your daughter the tools she needs to counter social pressure and feel good about her body.
