Worried about 7 year olds body image...

[Joss_Taylor]

My baby sister is 7, were extremely close, she lives just down the road and I see her every day. Quite a few times she has mentioned to me that she's 'fat', she even called herself a hippopotamus. Just recently she decided to become a vegetarian. I know when I was in high school i became a vegetarian to lose weight. I don't really think she'd even think that she put two and two together and think not eating meat would help her lose weight.

It's just kind off concerning to me that at 7 she already thinks she's fat! And nobody would ever look at her and say that kids fat. She's 48inch and only 40lbs. She's very thin! I've mentioned it to my mom, and she's watching her too. She also has severe anxiety.

Does anyone else think it's strange she's kind of obsessing about her weight or is this a sort of normal little girl thing? I didn't start thinking about my body image until I was in middle school. Our family does have history of anorexia, depression, and anxiety but she just seems so young!

 

[seoj]

tbh- that is way too young to be worried about that. There is a root cause- not becuase she truly feels this way-- is there something going on at school maybe? Mean girls? Or does she hear people around her complain about their weight? I'm not saying you do that- but if it runs in the fam, and she hears it, that could affect the way she looks at herself... personally, if I felt either of my girls had body issues that young- I'd get them counseling. I try not to talk about my weight around my girls- I have lost weight, but in a healthy way-- I do think it's "normal" at some point (especially middle to high school) for girls to see models on TV or other girls in class and compare and feel less than "perfect" for sure- but she is just so young?! I was fluffier as a kid- and it never bothered me till high school... once I developed and got a booty and boops- which, back then, curves were not the "in" thing-- so of course I looked at the wafes in pics and thought I was big... but, it never affected me too much-- we all have insecurities. Maybe have a good chat with her to see where this is coming from and decide if she needs help- or if this is just a phase and will pass in time.

My SD- who has always been thin- complained 1-2 x's about thinking she was fat- but her bio-mom would cry and complain about it in front of her- and her step-sisters (at the time) would too- and that rubbed off on her when she spent time over there-- even thought it was only mayb 2x's a month... this was when she waas maybe 10yrs? And she also has anxiety-- but, as she grew, and got the positive reinforcement from me and hubby and other family- she got over it and would NEVER think she's fat now. Insecurities at times- yes- she's 16, but overall she is very self assured...

Sorry not great advise- just handle as you feel appropriate for her and her age. I do think anxiety can play a role- as my SD liked to control everything she could at that age due to her anxiety- so it could be related if that makes sense?

 

[JASMAK]

You know what? My daughter is the same!!!! (she is almost 9 years old but has been talking off an on about this occasionally for about a year). She sometimes tells me she wants to be skinnier! I have no idea what to say to her, tbh. I just tell her that she isn't, and that she is perfect and beautiful. And she really isn't at all!!! She is super thin. She is very tall though, so compared to some of her petite friends, she is taller, but she is thin!!! All my kids are. It scares me to death when she says these things because I was anorexic when I was in university. I don't EVER talk about weight. We talk about healthy food...and she eats junk too. *sigh* I just don't know? My daughter only watches age appropriate shows and movies...just society I guess. My daughter has great self esteem though, which confuses me. She says how she is beautiful and wants to be in paegants (I say NO WAY to that, btw).

 

[JJKCB]

its pretty strange, I was oblivious to that stuff until at least 12 (I actually got bit by a dog and caught bells palsy at 8 and didnt even worry about the scars and paralysis across my face)

is she being bullied?
the only reason for a child to be aware of this stuff is if someone constantly reminds them (my dad had a girlfriend who constantly called her poor 8 year old fat)

 

[Joss_Taylor]

I have no idea what it is. I know nobody in the family has ever called her fat but I'm not sure about school. I know the school she and my brother go to there is a lot of bullying and it happens a lot to my brother. I don't know if she's not telling us for some reason.

 

[Dream.dream]

I have no idea what it is. I know nobody in the family has ever called her fat but I'm not sure about school. I know the school she and my brother go to there is a lot of bullying and it happens a lot to my brother. I don't know if she's not telling us for some reason.

No one may have said she was fat but if any of the females in her life say they are fat she may have been picking up on it . If she's wing critical of her body it's possible to have picked it up from another adult

Keep an eye on it and try to help her maybe focus on other aspects , try and enforce that it's what's on the inside that's important