I'm already concerned about self-esteem issues for my children, especially Ella because she's a girl. I want my children to take pride in their appearance to a certain degree, I want them to care about how they look. I mean, I don't want them to leave the house with dirty clothes on or hair un-brushed and I want them to make choices for the positive sake of their health. I want them to look nice but where do you draw the line, it's such a fine one, as I've found is every parenting issue. So how do you really prevent positive self-imagine from from turning into obsession? Since the babies were born I know all Evan has heard me talk about is diet, diet, diet. As he was opening an ice-cream bar the other day, he actually said to me, "How many points does this have?" While I thought it was cute at first, he later hit me that I'm portraying to my 5 year old how important it is to diet. I want to teach my children that along with obesity comes an unlimited number of health problems, including the extremely high risk of childhood diabetes but I don't want them to be obsessed with it and pressured as many children (especially girls) are today.
Dove is promoting the idea of loving yourself as you are, through their Campaign for Real Beauty. They are now using regular women who are healthy, everyday women and not size 0 models for their ads, women who are un-doctored by photoshop. They also have created self-esteem workshops for girls. Check out their website, it's very interesting. You can also learn how to lead a workshop. Campaign for Real Beauty
According to the site, this is why they started the workshops.
Over 50% of women say their body disgusts them (Dove Internal Study, 2002)
The body fat of models and actresses portrayed in the media is at least 10% less than that of healthy women (British Medical Association, 2000)
6 out of 10 girls think they'd "be happier if they were thinner" (UK Teen Body Image Survey, January 2004)
While only 19% of teenage girls are "overweight," 67% think they "need to lose weight" (UK Teen Body Image Survey, January 2004)
I saw this commercial on TV the other day and I love it; however, the one on television was a little shorter and not so graphic. I say, thanks Dove for Campaigning for Real Beauty, for girls, and for women of all shapes and ages. You can find lots of other Dove Films on their website and on youtube. What do you think?
5 comments:
Brandi,
I understand exactly where you are coming from, for me its first hand, its something I have struggled with all my life. Thanks for the information because I will really look into using it
those statics's are sad.... but it the commercial does get a point across. We should use some of this info for the girls in Gravity. Thanks!
I hear you! Since I've been "dieting" I guess I talk about calories too much as JJ reads the labels to me now and asks "how many calories are good?", this has 0 transfat, etc... But I have started talking less about calories and more on just making healthy choices -- and I figuring that him learning to read labels isn't bad also!
Michelle,
I think that would be awesome to use with Gravity. You'll find all sorts of free information on leading a workshop at their website.
It IS scary - for anyone with little girls. I think in this respect, raising boys is easier. Cleary, boys don't have the pressure like girls so. Different pressures, perhaps, but, still. There is no escaping the onslaught as it is everywhere!
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