How would your daughter(s) say you feel about your body? Would they say you think positively about it or would they be able to repeat your frequent criticisms of yourself and your body? According to Laura Choate, a professor of counselor education at Louisiana State University, your own body image issues trickle down to your daughter.
So chances are if you are constantly expressing displeasure with your body, they are likely displeased with theirs as well. In fact, More than half of girls (55–59%) and approximately a third of boys (33–35%) age 6 to 8 indicate their ideal bodies are thinner than their current body. They get bombarded with many unrealistic body images in the media and even through toys, it is particularly impactful when you counter that at home.
One way is to de-emphasize the topic all together and normalize the healthy habits of good nutrition and an active lifestyle. By working hard at making a healthy lifestyle the norm for your family, you eliminate the unrealistic expectation of achieving the “perfect” body and instead help your daughter develop a body that serves her well physically and emotionally.