How Social Media Affects Body Image

How Can Parents Help?

We've seen how serious body image issues can be. But how can parents help? One step parents can take to help their children avoid or minimize some of these harmful consequences of social media platforms is to have open conversations about the dangers of these services. It is important to teach children their personal worth is not determined by the number of likes and followers they attain on social media websites.

Another important way parents can help their children develop a healthy body image is by teaching their children about how individuals and celebrities are misrepresented in media. If children are more aware of how the media inaccurately portrays women, for example, they may be less likely to accept the images they see as setting an appropriate expectation for how they should appear. Finally, parents should encourage their children to moderate their time spent on social media. While this new form of communication offers many exciting opportunities, it is important not to let it completely displace face-to-face contact and close private relationships.