How I'm Trying Not To Pass On My F*cked Up Beauty Standards To My Kid
Something had to change. While I knew I couldn't undo the work that years of low self-esteem and unrealistic societal beauty ideals had done to me, I also knew that this wasn't something I could stand passing along to my kid.
So, I spoke with Dr. Courtney Crisp, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in self-esteem and treating eating disorders. She shared advice on how parents can best speak with daughters — especially preteens and teenagers — about unrealistic beauty standards.
Start the conversation early.
In my mind, there really is no time that's too early to start having conversations about self-esteem and body positivity. From a young age, this can be as simple as speaking kindly about yourself in front of your children and setting a good example of what it means to love yourself and feel beautiful.
But there's no doubt that the conversation gets more challenging as children get older and social media and society become more of a factor. That's why Dr. Crisp recommends having those conversations and open discussions.
"Point out where society profits off of their insecurities. Talk about that ad on Instagram that makes them feel bad about themselves. What are they trying to sell them to 'fix' that insecurity?" says Dr. Crisp.
Keeping the dialogue open may not always be met with a kind reception (we are talking about preteens and teenagers, after all). However, it's still a meaningful conversation to continue to have, and one they should know the door is always open for.
Read the full article published on Scary Mommy here.