This week, for Mental Health Awareness Week, the Imagineers will explore how children think and feel about their bodies, and what can be done to encourage to nurture positive body image.
‘Playing football makes me feel great.’
Who can help support a child to feel good about their body: ourselves, family, parents, sisters/ brothers, family, teachers, social services, friends you trust and PSAs.
‘Teachers can make children cry and upset by putting them down. It might get in the way of a child feeling good about themselves.’
‘Teachers should give us time everyday to do the Daily Mile. They should come out and do it with us.’
Adults can: make sure you have equal boys and girls activities and clubs for children who are gender fluid, compliment and say ‘keep going’ or ‘don’t give up’, make opportunities to experience new things and go new places, make time to talk, make children feel wanted, provide us with healthy snacks and packed lunches, take us to dance classes, let us relax make extra curricular activities for accessible, help us cut down on bad food, let us go outside and play during class, make more better body standards – introduce role models who are more realistic.
‘A pressure on children is social media. You only see the happy side of people’s lives, you don’t see the down. Models are slim and they use Photoshop filters. It makes me feel bad about myself.’
Children can: play badminton at lunchtime, be active, get involved in activities, get sleep, eat healthy food, chill out in the sun to help your body relax and think happy.
‘If you feel good about your body, you may like more people around you because you are less self conscious.’
