Breaking Body Image Cycles
- Annett
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
In this season, parents are spending more time with their child(ren).
What I am observing in my own parenting is an incredible opportunity to break cycles and see things from a new perspective.
The weather here has been so pleasant that we visited our favourite beach, several times last week.
While I love the refreshing cold water, being in swimwear around strangers can feel a little vulnerable.
Let me know how you get through this experience by sending me a DM.
What happened 2 days ago, summed up what I believe parents can be very hard on themselves with.
Being exposed to colder water temperatures over the winter months, diving into the Atlantic now - is much easier.
However, I want to be in control and decide the moment my head goes underwater.
Being knee-deep in the sea, 3 extremely excited young girls came running in behind me – I got splashed and screamed.

The enthusiasm of one of them changed straight away to taking ownership and showing empathy for me.
I wish her parent had seen her social skills and ability to take accountability.
What we often don’t see as a parent is our child practising the life skills, we role-modelled to them.
Sometimes a parent tends to comment on more situations that need correction in form of criticism, especially in public.
The disapproving voice in my head at the beach, are a collection of statements.
Endless comments, society made about my “overweight” body starting over 40 years ago.
The reason why I am so passionate about this parenting approach is because it provides me with tools to become aware of the hidden beliefs responsible for causing my reactive behaviour.
Thoughts that are not even mine.
Instead of continuing the generational theme of “not looking the right way”, I get curious like a little girl and ask with compassion:
Who decides what the right way to look is?
For me, the biggest future concern for a child of mine is defining their self-worth by their weight.
Working through triggers that came up this time round, I realised how I can make a change.
It is not only by saying: “I love you the way you are” but showing it.
The previous generation of parents to young children, really focused on letting their child know they love them.
The next step in the parenting evolution is to allow the child to keep learning by watching our actions and the need for words will decrease.
A strength I want my children to have, is to notice the decisions others make rather than believing what they say.
Here is your chance to experience this parenting style:
(Confirming humanity: written by annett)
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