Mom Uses Stretch Marks to Teach Her Daughter About Body Positivity in the Coolest Way
(Facebook / Allison Kimmey)
If there is one thing we know for sure, it’s that women of all ages are given completely conflicting messages about body image. There is an onslaught of messages telling women to love their bodies but then they’re running alongside ads for things like weight loss products. It is no wonder that young women and girls are completely confused about what positive body image really is, and why it is such a challenge for mothers to teach their daughters about creating and maintaining a positive body image. One mother’s efforts to teach her daughter positive body image has gone viral, and for good reason, because she takes a totally new and awesome approach to having the discussion with her daughter.
Mother Allison Kimmey, who is also the creator of BodiPosi Posse, a Facebook group that focuses on promoting body positivity shared a conversation she had with her young daughter about her body. The two had been lying together by the pool in their swimsuits when Kimmey’s daughter turned to her mother with some observations about her body. Kimmey posted the conersation she had with her daughter beneath a picture of the two of them in their bikinis.
Her: “Why is your tummy big mama?”
Me: “What do you mean baby?”
Her: “These lines, mama.” (Pointing to stretch marks on my tummy)
Me: “oh those are my stretch marks!”
Her: “Where do they come from?”
Me: “well when I was a little older than you, I got some stripes when I grew really fast! And some of these stripes are from when I had you growing in my tummy”
Her: looking inquisitively
Me: “They are shiny and sparkly, aren’t they pretty?”
Her: “yes, I like this one the best, it’s so glittery. When can I get some?”
Me: “oh you will get your glitter stripes when you get a little bit older baby!”
It would have been so easy for Kimmey to make disparaging remarks about her body when talking to her daughter, but instead she painted something she may perceive as negative into a positive. Women are often self-deprecating about their bodies as a way to deflect from the real issues and concerns they face. When women make these kind of comments, especially to younger girls.
We as women don’t always give much thought to the kinds of messages we pass on to younger girls in relation to our own views about our bodies. It is so very important for us to be more aware about the language we use when talking to young women and young girls about our bodies. We may not think they’re listening or picking up on our cues, but they are. And if we’re positive in our approach to the discussion, they will begin to follow our lead.
