Raising Healthy Girls

So I have many many issues about the current society we live in. I'm not getting on any kind of a soapbox, but I will say society's moral degradation is making me heavily consider some different options for my kids when it comes to decisions about how we will be raising them. One of the biggest issues, where I feel society has gone terribly wrong and I am even at fault for getting caught up in at one point in life, is the ridiculous pressure put on body image perfection. My girls are only 3.5 and I already think about how I am going to fight a battle to raise them to have a healthy body image this day in age. Society is going to make doing that very hard, but I also know it can be done with effort, prayer, and perseverance.

I came across a blog post this morning that was so refreshing to read. I've read it over twice already in hopes of drilling it into my head. Many points she makes I already do but it was still nice to read someone put into words what I am always thinking. We already talk about being healthy instead of using terms like skinny or fat. I never talk about myself needing to lose weight (even when I am working on it). I try very hard to tell them how smart they are, sweet they are, and kind they are as opposed to constantly telling them how pretty they are (even though they are of course gorgeous in my eyes). I do tell them they are pretty because I feel that it is important in building self confidence, but I DO NOT overdo it. I don't comment on other women's bodies - at all. We do go out to exercise in some way every day, and we talk about how it is making them healthy and strong girls. I tell them often that they are strong. I think strong is a great word to use because it pertains to physical and mental attributes. And I try every single day to teach them about kindness to others, because I know love of others is what this life is all about. If they don't learn another thing except kindness and loving others, I will feel successful.

So many people put too much emphasis on looks, outward beauty, and body size. We're bombarded when it comes to commercials, marketing, reality tv, and tv in general. It's best to just avoid it. I'm all about being healthy and trying to teach that to my girls. I'm still learning it myself, but it really is in an effort to teach good habits and heathy behavior not for them to look a certain way or fit an image of societal perfection. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and I will teach them to look inward not outward.

1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

The writer of this blog post hits on some things that I haven't done and will start to incorporate one day like... "Encourage your daughter to run because it makes her feel less stressed. Encourage your daughter to climb mountains because there is nowhere better to explore your spirituality than the peak of the universe. Encourage your daughter to surf, or rock climb, or mountain bike because it scares her and that’s a good thing sometimes." I also haven't learned to cook kale yet but it is on OUR future to do list. That is something we will learn together. I think these things will come in time but it was great to see her put it into beautiful words for my future use.

I hope I will remember this post and reference it many times as life happens with these two. Cheers to raising healthy girls #healthygirls!

sisters

learning kindness