I agree with this and my daughter went through this last year. I couldn't figure it out because she is actually underweight. She told me she thought the girls at school were skinnier than her. So, I told her to look at her fellow Girl Scouts, look at the people at karate/kickboxing class. She pointed out one little girl who was skinnier to her and I asked her "now tell me why she is skinny". Her response was, because she spends so much time in the hospital (her friend actually has Cystic Fybrosis). It finally clicked with her that skinny doesn't equal healthy. I also had her speak with my trainer (she is the gym owners wife) and her karate instructor. They all told her, if you see bone, then you have no muscle. Not healthy.
She pondered on it awhile and seems to have accepted that explanation. She is 9 now and gained 12 lbs last year. The doctor says she is finally reaching the low end of her weight scale.
Quoting Barabell:I've heard that girls involved in sports at this age have a more positive body image. If she's interested in running, encourage that energy going into a sport. Then talk about how she needs proper nutrition to fuel her body for that sport.
Quoting LisaMarie27:
I just taught our youth group at church about inner beauty. I've got the keynote still, if you'd like I could email it to you? Good stuff.
Quoting AMartin81:
How old is she? My daughter is 10 and never felt bad about herself until two girls at school told her she was fat now she worries all the time. It's so sad that girls do this to each other.
Quoting Lorena:
Do you belong to a church maybe she can join a youth group oytside of school. Make sure you tell her how beautiful she is!
Mom of 2 girls-8 and 11
- MIMIBRIE
on Oct. 3, 2012 at 9:30 AM