Growing Strong Girls. Lindsay Sealey

      •Asking her to write a letter to her body, apologizing for any negative self-talk or neglect and expressing how she will take care of her body from now on.

      •Eliminating comparisons between her and her friends or between you and her. Avoid using phrases such as “prettier than” or “skinnier than.”

      •Encouraging her to replace phrases like “I feel fat” with “I will care for my body by. . .”

      •Inviting her to limit mirror time and screen time—there’s a whole world out there!

      •Helping her develop skills that are separate from her appearance. It’s important she be well groomed, but it’s equally important that her focus is on a skill set, such as a sport, art, music, theatre or schoolwork.

      •Teaching her what to do when people comment on her body without her permission: a light response such as You just focus on your body, I’ll focus on mine or a more direct response such as Exercise helps me to cope with stress and anxiety, and I love it.

      •Checking out movies, TV shows, and magazines together. Ask her what she notices, and ask her to evaluate it. For example: Do the models look like real people? Do they look like you and your friends? What do you think of their clothing? What does their “look” suggest about who they are? Do the characters show many qualities or just a few? How do you feel about what you see? Let her do all the critiquing.