I am excited to announce a new partnership with Today’s Parent.
Starting this month, I will be a regular contributor for Today’s Parent! I am so excited to share a variety of blogs, videos and resources that will help parents feel more equipped and better supported around, what often is felt as, a most scary mental health/health issue impacting so many young people.
In the coming months, I will be exploring a number of topics that can contribute to the development of eating disorders in kids and teens. My hope is to raise awareness, so as to prevent the development and long term suffering of so many. I will also be answering questions you may have on the topic and be providing information about the root causes of eating disorders and negative body image.
Eating disorders are complex mental health issues that affect both the physical and mental health of a person. They are not just about food and the body, but rather are deeply rooted in a variety of psychological, biological, genetic, familial, social, emotional factors.
Many people with eating disorders have a distorted body image and a very low self concept
. This can lead them to want to change their appearance through extreme dieting or other unhealthy behaviors.
Traumatic experiences and a history of trauma can also contribute to the development of an eating disorder. Traumatic experiences can leave individuals feeling out of control and can lead to disordered eating as a way to regain a sense of control.
Social and cultural pressures can also play a role in the development of eating disorders. Our society places a lot of emphasis on appearance and thinness, which can lead people to feel like they need to achieve a certain body type in order to be accepted or successful.
Genetics and biology may also play a role in the development of eating disorders. There is evidence to suggest that some people may be more predisposed to developing these conditions due to their genetic makeup.
How can we as parents support our kids and help them navigate the complexities around eating disorders and body image issues?
How can we as parents give our kids the tools they need when using social platforms and a critical eye when viewing media that may be manipulated?
How can we as parents create a safe space for our kids to share, talk and grow into confident people with a healthy self-esteem and a healthy relationship to food and their bodies?
How can we as parents understand our own relationship with food and our own negative body image issues and how we might be inadvertently sending messages to our kids?
I invite you to join me and the Today’s Parent community as I dig more deeply into some of these topics and hopefully provide the information, tools and resources you need to help support your children in their own journeys.
As a Mom of two young girls, I am grateful to Today’s Parent for the opportunity to connect with parents and caregivers and create a support network and a community where we feel more connected, less alone and more empowered to support our kids.
In the interim, please feel free to connect with me on my personal instagram account (@kylafoxrecovery) or on the Kyla Fox Centre instagram account (@kylafoxcentre) for updates on Today’s Parent posts.
Kyla