Fredericksburg Parent

28 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • May 2023 WRITTEN BY TANNI HAAS, PH.D. ages & stages Summer can be a difficult time for kids who have body image issues. With the nice weather comes lighter clothing which often exposes more of the body than in the cold winter months. There's a lot of useful information on what parents can do to help their kids feel good about themselves in the summer, but are there things they should avoid say- ing or doing? After all, all kids deserve to fully enjoy themselves in the summer, whether they're taking a dip in the pool or sun-tanning with friends. Here's what the experts suggest: It's not a good idea to tell your kids they need to lose weight. "When kids are labeled as fat, and when fat equates to bad," says Dr. Haley Kranstuber Horstman, a well- known professor of family communication, "it sticks with them." These labels can make kids feel ashamed and even unlovable, Dr. Horstman adds. Encourage your kids to be physically active and eat only what their bodies need. This will help them lose any excess weight naturally and make them feel better about themselves. + A Positive Body Image: Help Your Kids Develop + Don't tell your kids they need to lose weight Refrain from discussing your own need to lose weight. "Children learn how they should think and feel about their own bodies from listening to the adults around them," says Dr. Renee Engeln, a professor of psychology. "If you talk about your huge thighs, your latest weight loss diet or your punishing workouts," says Dayle Hayes, a registered dietician, "your kids will pick up on these negative messages. They'll begin to worry about the size of their thighs and think they should be dieting." Dr. Engeln agrees: "If they hear adults engaging in negative body talk—always focusing on 'problematic' body areas—kids get the impression that bodies can never be good enough as they are." Simply put: "ditch the diet talk," as Emily Lauren Dick, the author of "Body Positive: A Guide To Loving Your Body," puts it. If you feel the need to lose weight, emphasize how important it is for you to stay healthy rather than focusing on weight loss. + Don't discuss your own need to lose weight "Children learn how they should think and feel about their own bodies from listening to the adults around them." What Not To Say Or Do

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