Your kids love you and want to see you
I love going through old pictures that my family has in storage boxes in the attic. I love knowing what my mother looked like before she was even married. I love being able to see my own face in my father’s mom’s face. It’s like looking at my own face looking back at me in some ways. I wouldn’t know any of these things without these printed photos. If my grandmother had thought she was too ugly or fat or whatever to be in those pictures herself, I would never know I look so much like her.
You never know what might change
I have heard over and over two things in my career: the first is “I wish I had more photos of my parents.” Having lost loved ones, I can tell you that just the same as there is never enough time with them, there are never enough photos either.
No one will judge you more than yourself
The second thing I hear over and over is “I wish I had pictures of myself back when I thought I was fat.” My heart breaks for the women that say this. I know what NO ONE sees them the same way that they see themselves. I was walking to my sister about my quarantine weight gain and she goes “Yeah me too, my butt is huge!” and I thought … but I know what you look like in tight jeans and you’re so cute! What she sees as a flaw is something I see as cute. Even if it’s not cute, it’s not ugly. I don’t ever look at someone on the street and go “Oh wow, they really shouldn’t wear that being the weight they are!” and I’ll bet you’ve never thought that about anyone else either. No one sees the flaws in you that you do.
Set a good example for your daughters’ self image
Remember when you were a kid and you painted something for your mom and if she hung it on the refrigerator then it was ART? Research has shown that kids who have family photos on the walls of their homes have higher feelings of self-worth and self-esteem. Showing the kids images of themselves on the walls shows them that they are worthy of being on the walls as art. This goes for you too. You’re worth being on the walls, you’re worth feeling like you’re a work of art, and your kids need to know it’s a good thing to be proud of yourself! Your daughters deserve to love their bodies and faces no matter their ages.
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