Body Positivity

12/03/2021

You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.
Louise Hay

“Three-year-old Mariah stands in the dramatic play area, sucking in her stomach as she looks at her reflection in the mirror.
‘I’m fat,’ she tells her teacher.

Raymond (4) cries when his classmates tease him at the lunch table for taking two helpings of tator tots, reminding him, ‘That’s why you can’t run fast!’

Disturbing? Yes. Surprising? Not really. We already know that children pick up on societal messages starting at a very young age, absorbing messages from family members, teachers, social media, television, and movies.” So begins an article by Donna Rafanello that provides the basis for a new Exchange Reflections, “Body Positivity.”

The author provides so many thoughtful ideas for discussion and positive actions that could help children, and adults, learn to focus on the positive things their bodies can do.

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