Sunday, November 3, 2013
By: Angela Wilkinson ~ Total Nutrition Technology
Remember...Things Aren't Always As They Seem
I saw a story the other day featured on the Today Show and it just brought up so much emotion in me that I had to share. The Today Show's story highlighted a time-lapsed video of a model getting Photoshop treatment. When I see and hear about stuff like this I want to cringe. What is our media teaching us about beauty and self-acceptance? What impression does this teach our daughters?
Beauty comes from within – we all know this but do we really??? Let’s make sure we are really practicing this and teaching this to our kids. It is easy for a little girl to look at a pretty person and say- I want to be like her- but let’s use this as a teaching moment – ask her- why? If she says its b/c she is pretty or has long blonde hair - ask her what that ( pretty) means to her? Learn how your little one interrupts the word “pretty”? Let’s open up the discussion and use this as an opportunity to define what beauty REALLY means. As your kids see commercials or look through magazines – talk to them about what they see and reinforce to them that this is not reality... unfortunately these images pop up everywhere- it is hard to escape them – first and foremost as a mom- you need not get caught up in this false world yourself... we are the role models to our children. Let our girls learn to love ourselves for who we are – not what we wear and how we dress.... love our bodies and embrace or small flaws – this is what makes us unique. Leave the house without make-up on and a throw on a pair of grubs.- be yourself and be confident so your girls can grow up to do the same.
I wish we could put an end to the misleading world off airbrushed models but since this is the world we live in- let’s take advantage of these teaching moments...talk with our kids and open the doors to communication.