I was getting ready for a party and I broke my daughter’s heart without knowing it.
I was doing my makeup while she played in the corner.
Hair done. Heels on.
And then, just like every other time, I stood in front of the mirror… and sighed.
“Does this make me look too bloated?”
The words slipped out without thinking.
Then came the second outfit.
Then the third.
Till I finally muttered,
“Ugh, I hate how I look today.”
I thought she wasn’t paying attention
But a week later, she stood in front of her mirror.
Getting ready for her best friend’s birthday.
And I heard her whisper:
“My face looks weird. I need to change.”
That moment broke something inside me
Because I realised:
She wasn’t born hating her body.
She watched me do it again and again.
Our kids learn body image by watching us.
How we talk about our bloated days.
How we tug at our clothes.
How we frown at our reflections.
How we compliment other women or don’t.
I want to raise a daughter who smiles at the mirror
So now, I make sure she hears:
🌼 “I love how this colour looks on me”
🌼 “My body feels strong today”
🌼 “I’m wearing this because I feel good in it”
Because I am her first mirror.
And her body image won’t start in adolescence.
It starts in our bedroom.
With my words,
💬 What words did you grow up hearing about your body?
Raising a Daughter Who Loves the Mirror
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