5 TPC Digest Emily Horton Body Neutral Parenting Body neutrality involves a neutral attitude toward the body that is realistic, appreciates and cares for the function of the body, and acknowledges that self-worth is not defined by one’s outward appearance. Body neutrality is different than body positivity because it does not focus on constant positivity but rather an appreciation for all the things the body can do, regardless of what it looks like. Instead of a body positive statement, such as “I love my thighs, cellulite, and stretch marks, and they are all beautiful,” a body neutral statement sounds like, “I love my legs because they allow me to play with my children.” Families can accidentally pass down unhealthy and unhelpful messages about body image to their children, such as disliking the way their bodies look or a drive to be thinner. Research has shown that these messages from families, which are focused on appearance, can negatively influence children’s body image and increase the likelihood of disordered eating. Because of this significant impact, parents need appropriate tools and support on how to manage food and body talk in ways that promote healthy body image development. To fill this need, I completed a study in which I created a theory of body neutral parenting. I created the theory after performing interviews with 10 caregivers who integrate tenets of body neutrality into their parenting approach. The body neutral parenting theory includes two primary premises: (a) De-moralizing Food, Bodies, and Movement, and (b) Reprogramming and Re-Parenting. De-moralizing Food, Bodies, and Movement involves acknowledging and countering the narrative of “good” foods and “bad” foods as well as “good” bodies and “bad” bodies. For example, the neutral presentation of different foods could look like desserts on the child’s plate from the beginning of the meal rather than something to be “earned” after eating the “good” foods first. Body neutral parenting conceptualizes bodies in neutral ways, emphasizing what they help people do. The theory also emphasizes the goal of helping children listen to their bodies, such as listening to when their bodies are not hungry anymore. The theory also emphasizes being mindful of how parents talk about their bodies and modeling that to their children. For example, caregivers model kindness to their bodies and avoid saying self-deprecating things about the way that they look. Body neutral parenting also involves engaging in movement for fun and being mindful of how we speak about exercise. Overall, body neutral parenting involves taking out the “should” entailed in thinking about and acting on what children “should be eating,” what they “should look like,” or how they “should be exercising.” Beyond the skills of body neutral parenting, ample self-reflection is important. Caregivers must engage in deep reflection of their own relationship with food, their body, and movement. For example, caregivers reflected on what messages they learned about what bodies should and should not look like and reflected on how they internalized those messages. Overall, this article offers a theory of body neutral parenting that can be used to support body image and related self-esteem for children, adolescents, and parents. Emily Horton, PhD, LPC, RPT, is an assistant professor at the University of Houston–Clear Lake. Correspondence may be addressed to Emily Horton, 2700 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, TX 77058, horton@uhcl.edu. A Grounded Theory of How to Help Cultivate Healthy Body Image in Children and Adolescents 5 TPC Digest Read full article and references: Horton, E. (2024). Body neutral parenting: A grounded theory of how to help cultivate healthy body image in children and adolescents. The Professional Counselor, 13(1), 30–47. doi: 10.15241/eh.14.1.30
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