Awakening Potentials

Anorexia in Our Children

Posted by: Marcelle

CBC News just released a story on the rise of eating disorders in children. There is an eating disorder but much more than this, this is a self-confidence crisis in today’s children. I was working with one young girl the other day, about 12 years old and not overweight by any stretch of the imagination.  But what did she day to me?  Said she was fat and that she wanted to lose weight. I have done enough work with people of all ages to say that this is a self-image or self-confidence problem.  And where does the image of one’s self being overweight come from.  That we all know, from the TV, the internet and the press, and our peers.  In short, our western society. TV shows like Entertainment Tonight are all about the “beautiful people”.  And our society is paying a price. When children start to worry that they don’t look good enough, that they are ugly, that they are therefore unlovable, we are all in trouble. I remember my mother railing against the TV back in the day when there were  only 2 stations to choose from, CBC and CTV.  There was no way she would ever allow one in our house.  We had to survive on books and playing with each other, inside and out.  We didn’t really know much about the outside world.  And although we knew some kids were big and some were small, trying to starve yourself to fit in just didn’t happen back then.  But eventually the TV barrier was broken in our  house and we joined the rest of the world. If only it was that simple.  Stop the TV and everything would go away.  But the toothpaste is out of the tube and you can’t put it back in.  Even if your kids don’t watch TV, their friends do and they are influenced by what their peers are saying and doing.  So keep a close watch on your kids and if you have any ideas, please share them with the rest of us. Tony B.

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