"Girls strive to be like these images," she adds, "but what they don’t know is that it’s impossible to achieve that 'perfection' without computer editing."
Silverman stresses the value of media literacy from an early age, “Teach your kids to be media watchdogs. Sit with them, watch their cartoons, the commercials, the movies, and talk about the stuff you see."
What parents can do. Bluhm concurs. “Parents can have a big effect on how girls view these images in the media, especially when you start from a young age."
It's important to be there for our girls, Silverman says, and give them as much support as we can: “Place an importance on intelligence, their connections with people and their other great qualities; don’t just make it about beauty. Tell them, ‘You have such knack for numbers,’ or, ‘You have such a great command on your soccer team. You’re a great leader.'"
"And be sure to talk about the great things we do as mothers," she adds. "Let them see us praise our achievements so that they will feel free to do the same and own their own strengths."
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