Nurturing Body Positivity: A Guide to Talking About Your Body with Children
Young children are curious; seeking information about themselves and those around them. They may have questions about their body and other people’s bodies as they are learning to categorize their world and further understand human nature. It is important to have open and honest conversations about the body, but also staying brief and factual.
Here are a few ways to talk about your body with children in a healthy and empowering way:
Start Early and Be Proactive:
From a young age, engage in age-appropriate discussions about the body. Use accurate anatomical terms when referring to body parts to foster a sense of comfort and understanding. Encourage questions and provide factual, honest answers to demystify the human body.
2. Focus on Functionality: Emphasize the amazing things our bodies can do rather than focusing solely on appearance. Discuss how our bodies help us move, play, learn, and experience the world around us. Highlight the importance of taking care of our bodies through nourishing food, exercise, rest, and self-care practices.
3. Celebrate Diversity: Teach children to appreciate and respect the diversity of bodies. Emphasize that bodies come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and abilities, and that each body is unique and worthy of love and acceptance. Explore books, videos, and other resources that showcase diverse representations of bodies to broaden children's perspectives.
4. Encourage Positive Self-Talk: Teach children the importance of positive self-talk and self-compassion. Encourage them to appreciate and celebrate their bodies for all that they are capable of, rather than focusing on perceived flaws or shortcomings. Model positive body language and affirmations to reinforce a healthy body image.
5. Create a Safe and Judgment-Free Environment: Foster an open and supportive environment where children feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, feelings, and questions about their bodies. Listen actively, validate their experiences, and address any concerns or misconceptions they may have with empathy and understanding.
6. Lead by Example: Be mindful of your own words and actions regarding body image. Avoid making negative comments about your own body or others' bodies, as children often model their behavior based on what they observe. Instead, model self-love, body acceptance, and healthy habits to inspire and empower children to do the same.
7. Foster health boundaries and body safety with these book recommendations:
My Body! What I say Goes! The crucial skills taught in this book will help children to protect their bodies from inappropriate touch. Children will be empowered to say in a strong and clear voice, "This is my body! What I say goes!" Through age-appropriate illustrations and engaging text this book, children will learn crucial and empowering skills in personal body safety.
I said No!: Helping kids set healthy boundaries for their private parts can be a daunting and awkward task for parents, counselors and educators. Written from a kid's point of view, I Said No! makes this task a lot easier. To help Zack cope with a real-life experience he had with a friend, he and his mom wrote a book to help prepare other kids to deal with a range of problematic situations.