WHAT IS BODY IMAGE?
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Many people think that body image is only about how a person looks.
It’s actually more than that!
Body image is the way a person thinks and feels about their body, including the way they look.

 Body image:

•    Can be positive – being accepting of, and confident and happy with, one’s 
      body, shape, and size.

•    Can be negative – being dissatisfied with, or disliking one’s body, which may 
      cause shame, low self-esteem, or distress – known as body dissatisfaction.

•    Or can be a little bit positive and a little bit negative.

why is it important for my child to be confident about their body?
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Having a positive body image will contribute to a higher level of self-esteem,
self-acceptance, and healthy behaviours in your child. Body dissatisfaction can have a
negative impact on a number of areas of your child’s wellbeing, and may lead to low self-esteem, depression, or disordered eating behaviours later in life.

You may be starting to observe your child commenting on their body or being interested in how they look. This is your child developing a sense of their body image.

Because the foundations of positive or negative body image are laid during the early years, early childhood is the perfect time to provide a positive environment for your child to develop body confidence.

who experiences body dissatisfaction?
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Anyone can be dissatisfied with their body or appearance at one time or another.
Research has found that, in general, body dissatisfaction is higher in girls than boys. But it still affects a substantial number of boys, even though they may be less likely than girls to talk about it.

Although many believe body dissatisfaction begins in the teenage years, body dissatisfaction is being found in much younger children - another reason for us to promote positive body image in early childhood.

what contributes to body dissatisfaction?
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Children’s body image is shaped by many things. These include a child’s personality, but also messages and feedback they receive from their environment, including family, peers, and media.

Messages that encourage a child to accept and appreciate their body the way it is, and to understand that looking a particular way is not the key to being loved and accepted by others, can help build a positive body image. Because parents can provide a child with these messages, they can play a crucial role in building positive body image.

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click on the tabs under 'body image' in the menu on the left to find strategies to help promote positive body image in your child

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