Body of evidence shows children should be happy with image

MOST parents feel they do a reasonable job at trying to give their children a realistic view of body image and the relative importance of behaviour and appearance.

But still, in spite of their efforts, it can feel as though the rest of the world is out to get your little one and turn them into a mass of insecurities about everything from their bottom to their teeth.

It’s galling that the images they compare themselves to in magazines have often been enhanced in some way, and many of the celebrities they admire are no stranger to the surgeon’s knife.

Now a Government-backed guide to help parents teach their children to be confident about their bodies has been launched to help make youngsters aware that many depictions of celebrities and models are enhanced in some way through the media and advertisements. The guide stresses the notion that the so-called perfect body, and the emphasis on skinniness, is a “socially and culturally constructed ideal”. The pack contains before-and-after touched-up images of celebrities such as Britney Spears and Keira Knightley. Last week a coroner blamed the fashion industry for the death of 14-year-old Fiona Geraghty, found hanged in her home after suffering from bulimia. Michael Rose, the West Somerset Coroner, called on magazines and catwalks to stop using thin models.

The new parent pack was described by Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone as an important contribution to the Government’s campaign to boost body confidence among children. It will empower parents to “have those difficult conversations” with their children, she said.

The parent pack follows a similar guide for primary school teachers, which has been downloaded 1,500 times since its launch last year. Both are produced by Media Smart, a non-profit organisation that aims to teach six to 11-year-olds to think critically about what they see in the media. Media Smart chairman Paul Jackson said: “We have been overwhelmed by the response we have had to the body image teacher pack, both in terms of the volume of responses and the enthusiasm with which it has been received. We have found that children respond really well when they realise that most of the images they see have been altered in some way and are aspirational but not realistic.”

Sue Minto, head of ChildLine, said: “It’s vitally important for children to learn from a young age that image isn’t everything and that if they don’t look like a model – which most of us don’t – it’s not the end of the world. Sadly we know from children who contact us that they are often picked on because of the way they look and this can seriously damage their confidence and self-esteem.

“Some are so upset they say they can’t even look in the mirror. Last year more than one in 10 calls we had about bullying were related to body image. It seems to affect those mostly in the 13-16 age range but it’s crucial children are taught at primary school that it’s wrong to target someone because of their looks.”

Lucy Beresford is a psychotherapist who works in a hospital eating disorder clinic and has also treated young people with body dysmorphic disorder (in which people are excessively worried about a part of their body which they perceive to have a defect and continue to believe this despite reassurances).

She says: It can’t just be schools who help children to have a realistic and healthy view of their bodies. Parents need to be conscious of how they talk about their own bodies and aware what messages are being communicated if you look at yourself at all angles in the mirror and grimace at what you see or make derogatory comments about your appearance.

“Children think their parents are perfect and amazing, but regularly making self-critical comments about your body is a way of teaching your child that this is normal. The parent needs to be conscious of giving these negative messages whether it’s at the meal table, in the bathroom, on the beach or in the supermarket, talking about ‘forbidden’ foods.”

Beresford says children need positive comments about how they look and the things they do, and parents need to avoid relating the eating of a chocolate or two to body size and shape. “It’s also good to steer away from looking at the thin and glamorous celebrities seen in the media. “There are plenty of people on TV who look like the rest of us, particularly in soaps. The upcoming Paralympics are a great opportunity to talk with children about how people who look different in all sorts of ways do amazing and interesting things.”