As summer temperatures rise, naturally we find ourselves enjoying the outdoors and doing more things to keep ourselves cool: lots of time in the pool or at the beach, exchanging our winter gear for shorts and tank tops, indulging in cold treats, etc. While summer may seem a fun season for many individuals, it can be a triggering time for those struggling with body image issues and eating disorders.

Research suggests that children as young as six report concerns for being "fat" in comparison to their peers, showing us that it's never too early to encourage our children's self-esteem and a healthy body image. This can present as challenging since we may be struggling with our own self-esteem issues, and are constantly at battle with media messages and societal standards that promote the endless improvement of bodies, versus nurturing and acceptance.

With such a big task as hand, our eating disorder specialist, Kristie Wyler, M.A. offers us a few guidelines for fostering a body positive environment at home. Click below!

One of my favorite activities to do with my clients is to ask them to name a person in their life that they admire. I then ask them to tell my why they love this person. They usually identify things like:

"She 's always there for me."

"I have so much fun with him."

"I can tell him anything."

"She is so kind and patient."

I reflect back to my patient these comments, and then make the following interpretation: "Not once in your answer did you mention that you like this person because of their grade point average, accomplishments/job title, their looks, or their popularity."

Society has placed such an emphasis on accomplishment, perfection, and beauty as a means to being loved and valued by those around us. Children and teens, especially, receive these messages all the time, "You need to do well in school so you can get into college and get a good job," "Stop misbehaving; you won't be able to make friends." In trying to help positively shape our children, we can inadvertently stress that accomplishment (and other things) are more important than their character, leading them to believe that these are the only avenues to being loved and accepted by others. The result? A generation of anxious overachievers, disordered eating/body image issues, unhealthy attachment-styles, and people who will never feel like they are enough.

Although it is important to help your kids succeed, it's just as vital to their self-esteem that you help them understand they are so much more than their appearance, productivity, and achievements. Try incorporating different forms of praise into your daily language that focus more on their character: "I saw how kind you were to your sister just now." "That was really brave of you to ...." "You are so much fun to play with." "What a great idea!" "I love you just the way you are." I wouldn't be surprised if (just maybe!) your inner child needs to hear some of these messages, too.

Warmly, -Jaclyn