Four and five year olds
who exhibit food fears,
food refusal,
weight-related rituals,
or compulsive eating
habits are most likely
not suffering from
clinical eating
disorders, but from
anxiety, confusion about
what healthy eating is,
and a temperament and
genetically determined
susceptibility to
developing a clinical
eating disorder in years
to come. The sooner
parents recognize,
understand, and
effectively respond to
early sign s of eating
dysfunction, the better
the child’s chances to
avoid the lethal
consequences of clinical
disease and resolve the
underlying emotional
issues that drive them.
Eating disorders are the
product of "nature,"
(heredity, inborn
temperament, anxiety and
compulsivity,) as well
as "nurture," (the
child's modeling after
parental attitudes and
behaviors, beliefs and
lifestyles); enlightened
and empowered parenting
and child care can
virtually "immunize" a
child against developing
these diseases.
Children, Teens and
Young Adults
Body Image Concerns: A
New Face to Childhood
Fears
Combating
body image fears
fortifies a child’s
healthy connection to
self and to family
Body size acceptance is
not related to weight or
actual body size, but to
self-esteem and
emotional health. The
true indicator of a
healthy body image is
the child’s sense of
security, confidence and
well-being - not her
ability to fit into size
2 jeans. It has been
reported that 80% of
girls in grades three
through six have bad
feelings about their
bodies, an issue
diverting attention from
schoolwork and
friendships; 25% of
first grade girls have
already been on diets.
It is up to parents to
insure that children
grow up with all the
emotional tools and
resources they need to
love and accept self and
body. Body image
concerns may be
precursors to eating
disorders. Even when
they do not lead to
clinical disease, they
deserve attention so the
child can learn to enjoy
a healthful relationship
with food, with the
self, and with loved
ones.
“Monkey See, Monkey
Do”
Parental attitudes about
eating and weight
control wield
significant influence on
the development of a
child’s eating patterns
How parents feel about
themselves and their
own relationship
with food are critical
forces in determining
how children learn to
feel about themselves,
particularly with regard
to eating and weight
management. In many
cases, a parent’s fears,
insecurities or
preoccupations with food
and body image are as
central an influence on
a child’s relationship
with food as what they
eat. Children are keen
observers, and parents
are potent teachers,
teaching best by
example. By becoming
knowledgeable about
healthy eating, aware of
one’s own personal
attitudes, biases and
beliefs, and mindful of
their consequences in
raising children,
parents take charge of
their own lives, their
parenting, and the
physical and emotional
well being of their
children. By rectifying
misconceived beliefs and
attitudes of their own,
parents develop
healthier eating habits
and exercise lifestyles
and become better able
to impart these
important life lessons
to their children.
Eating
Healthfully in a Food
Phobic World
Learning to eat
healthfully in a
society than mandates thinness and that promotes widespread
misconceptions about
healthy eating is not
easy these days. Even
more complex is the job
of teaching healthy
eating habits and a
healthy exercise
lifestyle to our
children. Children are
“quick studies;” parents
are their most potent
teachers, teaching best
through example. Parents
need to become educated
about what healthy
eating is, and about how
to communicate with
their children to
counteract
self-destructive eating
mythologies and promote
eating health. If you or
your child believes that
fat-free is healthy
eating, that junk food
is “bad”; that people
should only eat when
they are hungry; that
dieting is the best way
to lose weight; or that
“nobody eats breakfast,”
you will benefit from
this workshop. Healthy
eating is a way of life,
a healthy relationship
between food and the
self that requires the
capacity for sound
judgment and
decision-making,
accurate
self-perception,
self-regulation and
-care. Mastering the art
of healthy eating
underlies effective
functioning in all other
spheres of life, forming
the backbone of the
loving and connected
family and virtually
immunizing children
against the onset of
clinical eating
disorders.
Teaching Self-Love,
Learning Body-Love
Through Jewish
Education: Promoting A
Diet For A Healthy Soul
Ms. Natenshon discusses
the nuts and bolts of
eating disorders...what
they are
about, and what they
mean for our children...
along with providing
practical
tools and strategies to
recognize these problems
in Jewish students and
intervene effectively as
mentors in promoting
prevention and healing.
Abbie offers curriculum
ideas for Jewish
educators and youth
group leaders, promoting
the power of positive
relationships and human
connection through
uniquely Jewish
solutions.
As a follow-up to this
seminar, Abbie offers
her expertise as a group
psychotherapist and
educator to run
educative-support groups
for teachers and youth
group leaders, for kids
and their parents.
"I've gleaned a new and mature appreciation for many of the elements
of the observant
lifestyle. One book in
particular has been
inspiring me lately--
its a book of quotes by
the "Rebbe" Schneerson
called "Bringing Heaven
Down to Earth: 365
meditations of the Rebbe".
Its a book of 365
thoughts to read daily
and digest throughout
the day. you would
really enjoy this book I
think. Its been amazing
to me to look through it
because each of these
snippets of wisdom are
so profound, such
mind-blowing little
nuggets of insight, and
then I realize that the
only place I've heard
information in this
format before is with
you! It just goes to
show that the
foundational elements of
our religion and
heritage penetrate
everything that we do,
explicitly or not,
whether we are aware of
it or not. And its also
amazing the ways in
which elements of Jewish
thought and spirituality
can be interpreted
through the lens of
eating disorder
recovery."
...KRB, a client and a
student of Judaism
For more information or
to request a workshop,
contact Abbie
Psychotherapist, Author, Nationally Recognized Speaker and Group Facilitator,