Mums: beware mixed messages about body-image

At a recent senior girls' school assembly the head teacher was encouraging girls to believe in themselves, and to seize all opportunities as they embark on a new chapter in their lives. A wonderful, positive and encouraging message, I thought.

It was then shocking to hear the head talk about a forthcoming school reunion for her own school days, and confess to wishing she were two stone lighter.

What a sad and unfortunate mixed message. Publicly bemoaning her weight (which didn't look to be a problem at all to me!), without mention of her accomplishments suggested that achievement is undermined by image.

A far more powerful message would have been to dismiss her worries about her appearance in favour of her life experiences, skills gained and successes achieved; to acknowledge that these were worthy of celebration and pride; and to declare she had every reason to feel confident in reconnecting with old school mates.

Part of the head teacher's role is to develop her pupils' self-confidence, but how can she do that when she appears dissatisfied with her own self-image?

Super Nanny did a programme a couple of years ago on young girls' perception of their bodies. The mums were alarmed to learn that their daughters had rather distorted views as to what they deemed attractive, or acceptable. Equally striking was that a number of the mums had real hang-ups about their figures and that they were quite vocal about it. They were challenged to consider what impact their own lack of physical self-acceptance might have had on their daughters.

So it is a warning to mums to think carefully about the body-image messages they impart, subtle or otherwise, to their impressionable daughters.