The things your children say usually make you laugh.
Like when Popps tells me she has really grated her knee and
her elbow is totally grated. Nothing gets grazed anymore.
Over Christmas she asked why we had to have that real tree,
couldn’t we save up our money like normal people and get a plastic one?
(never!)
What I don’t like hearing is this:
"I have been using your phone Mum, and looking at the photos.
I had to delete lots of the ones of me, because my face looked too fat."
She is still five.
And a tiny piece of me shrivelled up and died inside.
Try not to stress too much, it may have been something she has overheard either you or someone else say and is just parroting.
ReplyDeleteMy littlest who is 3 said to me this morning. I played mummy's and daddys this morning. I put my baby to bed then I got on the laptop.... umm I swear I do more than sit at the laptop all day...honest.
Scary, isn't it? So much to worry about as a parent. All you can do is love her unconditionally and help her to grow a healthy self esteem. So hard when there are so many outside influences! Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter told me she hated her school dress because it made her look fat. I felt so sick when she said that.
ReplyDeleteI have no magic solution. We talk about advertising, media & the way it portrays females. I try to remember not to talk about my body issues in front of my children. I try to help her make appropriate clothing choices & be happy with them. It's hard, really hard. I just hope an open & honest ongoing dialogue helps her through.
I worry about this so much. I think all we can do as parents is just provide a good example and lots of reassurance - although I wish we could make our beautiful girls see what we see when we look at them.
ReplyDeleteOh Claire I feel your pain, my little girl said a similar thing to Naomi's about her school uniform when she was five also. I was so shocked that I completely over reacted. Now I take it more lightly and just keep up the assurance that she is just as she should be. That first time was a real killer though.
ReplyDeleteOh the little darling girl. I worry for my nieces in the same way as I know that unlike you their mum is VERY focused on skinny = attractive. I can't help but wonder how it's possible to shield our young girls from this when daughters with mum's as positive a role model as you and Naomi are.
ReplyDelete