How Do I Reduce My Child's Risk of Developing an Eating Disorder?
It’s summer time again and that means warmer, actually, no, HOTTER, temperatures. Summer means pool parties and beach trips and that means you child probably needs t-shirts, shorts, and a bathing suit. What does that mean for body image concerns? What if body shame gets in the way of some of these fun summer activities?
Summer is often a time where older kids and teens are left at home to take care of themselves and we’re not always 100% sure what they’re eating or how much they may or may not be exercising. Sometimes my clients aren’t always forthcoming in telling their parents that they skip meals or spend hours at a gym.
Summer can sometimes be a time when tweens and teens will try to “get in shape” or lose weight before the start of the new school year in the fall.
Is that OK?
What if they want to start a diet or exercise routine? What if they want to lose some weight? Is that really that big of a deal?
Did you know that dieting is the #1 risk factor for developing an eating disorder?
I didn’t know that when I was a teenager. And I suspect my parents didn’t either. We can’t guarantee that our kids will be safe from developing disordered eating or an eating disorder, but we can help reduce their risk by discouraging dieting in the first place.
What’s really awesome is that parents can be the first line of defense against dieting and disordered eating. Parents can set a positive example by talking neutrally (or even positively) about body diversity. That means talking about all the ways our bodies look and act differently in ways that are supportive and encouraging. It means using fat-positive language so that kids aren’t afraid of being fat. It means being mindful of how you talk about your own body.
Parents can also role model positive relationships with food by eating a variety of things and not limiting any food (unless there’s a medical reason). Parents might not think their own diet might affect their kid’s thoughts about food, but it can. Families can eat together as much as possible and use positive language around food (like not calling food “good” or “bad”). Parents can check in with kids who are home alone (or even when they go back to school) on what they enjoyed eating that day, just to make sure they’re not skipping meals.
Parents can also talk about the benefits of physical activity, without focusing on weight or body shape so that kids learn to associate movement with joy, not punishment.
Have open and honest conversations with your kids about body image and body diversity, and the pressure that are on them to look a certain way. Talk about how all bodies are good bodies and they do not need to look any different than they do right now!! Want support in raising your teen to have a healthy relationship with food and their bodies? Click here to schedule a free, 20 minute discovery call with me and I can help you figure out next steps.