In a world full of constant comparison, it’s even more imperative now to teach your daughters to love the body that they have. Is it easy? No, but no one ever said it would be. Is it important? Absolutely, 100%. Think of your life as a female growing up and all the issues that arose with you and body issues. People can be rude, comments can hard, and words can actually break hearts. The thought of having your daughters struggle with body issues is probably a pretty real and raw emotion that you may think about daily. While it’s important to think about, it’s also important to not obsess over. Instead of worrying about how your daughters will react if someone makes a comment or tries to make them feel inferior about their body, why not give them the knowledge that they need to know how to handle those situations and rise above?

How to Teach Your Daughters to Love the Body They Have

• Build them up. Ignoring the images that are portrayed throughout the media as the “perfect” female body isn’t easy to get around. The truth is, your daughters will be exposed to that reality. But, you have the ability to let them know that while that may be shown as the reality, it’s truly not the realistic approach to a healthy body image. Talk to them about their mind, body, and soul as one and how important it is to be a well-rounded person who is kind to others, not just as a girl who has a body that other’s strive for. The more that they understand that, the less that they will focus on what their body “should” look like and spend more time concentrating on their heart and mind as what makes them truly unique and beautiful.
• Lead by example. As their parent, if you have issues with your body image, that will trickle down to them. Remember that your daughters see and hear everything that you do. They hear the comments that you may make about needing to go on a diet, or they hear you complain that your jeans are feeling a bit tight or your hair is consistently out of control. Body image isn’t just about weight issues…it’s about anything that pertains to your body. Be aware and conscious of the words that come out of your mouth, especially when those little ears are listening. Your daughters admire you and want to be just like you so if you are looking down on yourself, they are more than likely going to start mimicking that behavior as well.
• Have them start each and every day by giving themselves a compliment. Every morning, have them start by stating something that they love about themselves. It could be about their body, their mind, their heart or their soul. Anything that pertains to them and their body is fair game. It’s important to have them do this each and every day! It turns into a habit and then that habit becomes a constant that is no longer a second thought. Can you imagine the amount of confidence that your daughters can build up by stating something each and every morning that they love about themselves?
• End each night giving your daughters a compliment about them and their day. While they may start out in the morning complimenting themselves, you end their day by giving them a compliment about something awesome that they did that day. While you can keep it to be something about them and their body, also use this time to give them praise for anything that they did on a positive note. By telling them something awesome that they did, that will help build up their confidence which will carry over to starting their morning off great! Be their biggest cheerleader in life and let them know how much they truly rock!

Take action :

• Encourage your daughter to look in the mirror daily and say nice things to herself. Words like; I am awesome, I am beautiful, I exude confidence, I am creative and so much more. Subscribe here and also get a list of these beautiful printable sent to you to make it easy for you and your daughter. Make these a part of your daily routine.
• Pray for them specifically about accepting and loving their body image.
• No matter how you feel about your body as a mother appreciate and say nice things about your body while your daughter is present.

Don’t delay on teaching your daughters to love themselves and the body that they have. Each and every one of us is absolutely unique and beautiful in our own way. Help your daughters to know that beauty isn’t something that makes or breaks a person. Once they discover that their own beauty is a unique light that will keep shining no matter what, they will understand that their beauty is more than looks, but also encompasses their heart, mind, and soul.