Our kids receive hundreds, possibly thousands of messages every day from friends, family members, acquaintances, advertisements, social media, TV, and elsewhere. So many of these messages are about our bodies and can alter the way we see ourselves. This is why is so important for us to teach our kids to filter out negative messages and how to fully understand body gratitude.
Body gratitude focuses on our attention on all the things our bodies can do, the miracle of healthy functioning, and appreciating our own unique qualities. This is best accomplished when we start talking early and often with our kids and when we set a positive example.
When our kids hear us talk about our bodies, it should be in a spirit of gratitude instead of picking apart the things we “don’t” have or the things we wish were different.
Remember gratitude goes beyond compliments and not complaining. We need to develop and practice this gratitude with our own bodies–and this can be a challenge for some of us–if we want our kids to feel the same way about their bodies.
Help them see all the things their incredible, special bodies can do. They can sing, talk, tell jokes, laugh, cry, blink, run, jump, skip, twirl, hold hands, sleep, write, read, give hugs, hike, feel, smell, see, hear, and so much more.
Finally, remind your child that it is a great thing that they are unique. There is no one else in the world like them–they are unmatched, distinctive, and extraordinary.
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