Summer time is here. That means all kinds of body shapes and sizes are more visible and vulnerable.
It also means it’s time for parents to be super aware of how/if their kids understand body diversity.
Here are some easy ways to talk about body diversity with kids.
Keep it Simple
As parents, we tend to overexplain. It’s really common.
But a child’s brain can’t process as much information as an adult’s brain can. Once a child hears the right amount of information that their brain can process, the rest goes unheard. Maybe that’s where the phrase ‘in one ear and out the other’ comes from?
An easy way to explain body type simply is to use an analogy like:
“Just like flowers in a garden, humans come in all shapes and sizes. And no two people have the exact same body type.”
Or . . .
“Think about all the different shapes and sizes in your lego collection. Now think about all the different types of bodies you see every day — round, thin, tall, short, whatever. It’s the same thing.”
Point out different examples of body diversity when you’re out together. In addition to your words, giving them a visual will help drive home your point.
Being fat or skinny isn’t always about food intake
Now pivot the conversation to metabolism so they get a deeper understanding that body shape isn’t always about how much you eat.
Metabolism isn’t easy to explain to a child (or anyone!), but it can be done. Here’s an easy way to explain it.
“Metabolism is how the body uses food to create energy. And just like body shape, everyone has a different metabolism.”
Check in with your child here to see if they understand your explanation or if their eyes are glazing over. If it’s not the right time, save it for later.
If they do look like they get it and want to learn more, keep going.
“So when you see a skinny person, they might have a really fast metabolism. That means when they eat a cheeseburger, their body immediately turns it into energy. And the opposite is true for a large person. It might take a really long time for their body to convert that same cheeseburger into energy.”
Don’t forget to say:
“But no matter what type of metabolism you have, the best way to treat your body is to eat healthy food.”
Bullying and body shaming
Offer a simple definition of body shaming:
“Body shaming is making someone feel bad because of their body size or shape.”
Without making them feel like they did something wrong, bring the subject into their world so they start to feel some ownership of how wrong body shaming is. You could ask if there’s anyone in their class at school who gets teased because of their body type.
If you feel like your child is uncomfortable talking about a classmate (for whatever reason), you could shift the focus back to you by giving an example of body shaming from your own world. Whether it’s a friend, colleague, relative, whatever, try to frame it so it’s clear that the person is constantly teased because of their body type.
In the end, by helping your child grasp the concept of body diversity, you’ll be laying an important foundation for them to embrace and respect all differences in others. Hopefully, their understanding and respect of body diversity will naturally spill over into other diversity and inclusion topics.
A DEI approach to parenting like the one in this article is absolutely crucial for any parent who wants to raise a compassionate child.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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