May 2021 Q&A: Jaalisa Banks shares how to teach kids to love and appreciate their unique bodies.

How can adults show kids how to love/appreciate the body we each live in?

This month we are addressing a question from a mom, we’ll call her Samantha. Sam wants to role model and teach her kids to love and appreciate their body. For Sam, this is sometimes difficult, especially on days when she isn’t loving her own body. Jaalisa Banks shares the following tips for fellow parents and other adults who want to teach kids to love their own bodies, even on days when you don’t necessarily love your own body.

In this video:

Even when you think kids aren’t listening, they are. (0:50)
Be mindful of the words you use around kids, and let them know that we don’t talk negatively about our bodies (01:12)
Model positive self-talk and self-affirmations. (02:18)
As adults, it’s normal to have moments where we struggle with our body image. (03:18)
Find things you love about yourself and remind yourself often about all the amazing things our bodies can do. Model this for your kids. (03:32)
We all have off days. Show your kids that it’s okay to reach out and ask for help or simply to understand that you’re not alone. (04:52)