In today's society it can be challenging for teenagers to feel accepting of and confident in their bodies and sometimes even harder for parents and carers to know how best to support their kids through this. Yet, it’s well understood that having a body positive image can help to improve both physical and mental health and reduce the risk of developing an eating disorder.
To help parents and carers connect with the teen in their life around body image and being body kind, we’ve partnered with Butterfly Foundation to launch their Body Kind Families initiative.
Based around the known risk and protective factors for body dissatisfaction, the initiative will provide families across Australia with free access to a wide range of resources as well as activities that cover topics such as:
Responding to a young person who speaks negatively about their body
Building resilience to social media pressures
Talking to your child about appearance and weight, their own and others
Encouraging healthy relationships with eating and physical activity
Becoming more compassionate towards your own body
What to do if the teen in your life is struggling
Clinical Psychologist and spokesperson for Body Kind Families, Louise Adams said that body positivity for teens can start at home. “Parents have the power to stop the legacy of body dissatisfaction. We learned to hate our bodies. We can un-learn it and pave the way for a body inclusive future".
By having these conversations early and role modelling body kind behaviours, families can help empower teens to take proactive steps to look after their mental health and wellbeing and help prevent more serious health issues later on.
Families who are interested in accessing the Body Kind Families resources can register for free today at butterfly.org.au/get-involved/campaigns/bodykindfamilies.
