With social media being more prevalent than ever nowadays, kids are becoming more self critical about their bodies at increasingly younger ages. How do you have a conversation about body-positivity, health, and wellness with your kids? Aeryon Ashlie gives some real advice on this.
With her daughter on the verge of adolescence, Aeryon Ashlie has some recent experience with this topic.
She recommends a number of fantastic healthy habits that can be passed along to your children!
- Workout on a regular basis with your children! Kids and teens need an average of 60 minutes of activity every day.
- Be aware of your language. Don’t criticize your own body or the bodies of other people. This can have a negative effect on how kids view their bodies.
- Create an open dialogue if they do express insecurities with their bodies. Ask them why they don’t like the way their bodies look if that’s their concern, and hear them out.
- Remind them that they are still growing! Hormones are affecting their changing bodies.
- Teach them about food and nutrition where possible. Avoiding short term diets and instead focusing on the food groups like carbs, protein, and fat are all something they can learn about.
- Show them how relaxing you stomach versus engaging your core can make a huge difference.
- Remind them that everyone is unique in their own way!
- Teach them the importance of a balanced, healthy lifestyle as opposed to the number on the scale.
- Make a strategy – avoid disqualifying their feelings of insecurity. Aeryon Ashlie suggests having them commit to daily walks after dinner, grocery shopping together, and cooking together!
What other strategies do you use to encourage your kids on their path of health and growing up? We’d love to hear about your experiences!