Six year old thinks she has fat thighs

[indiewitch]

What do I say?
I told her they weren't fat, that they were fine and that she has nothing to worry about. But I don't think she's buying it.
Any advice. I've never discussed weight with her or in front of her. Was hoping to avoid doing so for a while.

Anyone?

Not sure how to help, but just to say have had the same thing from my DD, now 6, but started when she was 5. She would pull her trousers tight over her legs and complain that her legs weren't as thin as Sharpay's. She is generally very judgemental about people - not liking people because they are "not slim". Feel awful because we have friends going through sheer hell with a 16year old who has missed a year and a half's school due to anorexia and who has had to be hospitalised several times.

I am the usual about a stone overweight and 2CS's down the line, have what is fondly (I hope)referred to in our house as a "squdigy tum". But I have always been very careful to say I have the tum because I need to do more exercise, not because I eat too much. We have no Vogue type mags in the house. So where this stuff comes from I don't know. Not sure how to handle, but whenever my daughter asks if she is fat, I always say "you are perfect, not too fat, not too thin" - which on the one hand plays into the idea that fat is bad (which of course it is - gosh this IS hard), but which I hope also drums into her the notion that there is such a thing as TOO thin.

But like you, would love to know better ways of dealing with it.

Oh thank you, I was beginning to think it was just me. It's hard isn't it? Trying to get the messages right and keep them happy.

I think now would be a perfect time to show your girls that what they see in pictures in magazines etc is not necessarily what people really look like.

If you tell them they're perfect they won't believe you- they need to see it with their own eyes.

classic example
and after photoshop

If they can find a photo of themselves that they like, or get a family portrait taken with them wearing their favourite outfit and put it somewhere where they can see it every day as an act of positive reinforcement.

I know it sounds a bit, luvvy-ish, and it won't change everything but if it makes them more positive about themselves then it's worth a shot.

Would help if I got the 2nd link right!

www.hemmy.net/2007/05/25/celebrities-before-and-after-photoshop/

DD said the same thing when she was about six. She is skeletor though. She had a very good friend with an older sister who was constantly dieting, friend decided she would too and ate only stuff like carrots and celery. the mother of these children encouraged this mentalism for reasons known best to herself. Luckily our DD was outside the UK and had two school nurses on site. I spoke to one and she went into the classes and gave a general talk about good nutrition for later life.
It is very sad when kids of that age start comparing themselves to other people (not sure whether sharpay is a friend or a celeb I am afraid).