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The way your child will perceive their body will hinge on how you talk about and treat a human body. A child’s mind is like clay, it can be molded easily. The parents can easily influence their child’s thoughts and thinking as preschoolers. If a body-positive environment is provided to children from a young age, changes in an adolescent body won’t hit them as they would hit in an alternative environment. As these changes that creep into an adolescent body are natural and inevitable it is important to provide a protected, encouraging, and positive atmosphere to children to promote children to understand their bodies better.

How does social media leave imprints on young minds?

Social media can hinder this process, especially for teenagers. The unrealistic and mostly touched pictures on social media shatter their beliefs and confidence. It gives them a disparate ideology of human bodies. Falling victim to these unrealistic “beauty standards” often leads to anxiety among children. It is essential to make sure that children know how the human body functions, the nutrients required for their body to function effectively, and how impractical the image conveyed by the social media era is. Children should know that prioritizing health overweight is the healthiest way to lead life. It is significant for parents to understand that how they talk about food will eventually affect their child’s behavior towards it and food shaming never helps in the process. It is never a good idea to taunt your child about what they are consuming or to remind them of portion control.

But is it enough for children to accept their bodies?

The answer is no. To inculcate the teachings so far, they have to understand that all bodies are different and they function distinctly. They should accept all shapes and sizes. To accept one’s own body it is crucial for one to acknowledge different bodies and appearances.

Create a protective bubble for your child

Creating an environment where everyone around you understands the significance of the effect of changing bodies on children is equally important. It is crucial to create a protective environment and to preach the motto even in the absence of your children. Talking to your child about their bodies can efficiently help them understand changes in their bodies.

HealthSetGo recommends consulting an expert if required.