I received a sample box from Strong Self(ie).
All opinions are 100% my own.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in my bathroom putting on my makeup. My youngest daughter, who is 9, walked in and was watching me. She said, “Mom, you’re pretty.” I responded by saying, “Thank you.” She then said, “I’m not.” My heart instantly sank into my toes. How it is possible that my daughter would already have such a negative image of herself??
I immediately looked at her and asked her why she thought that. She said that her teeth were crooked and she just wasn’t. I told her that she was not only pretty but also beautiful. We discussed how the way you look makes you a pretty person, but what makes someone beautiful is what you are inside.
We finished our talk and I continue to hope and pray that she understands. I believe she got the message that we should never think negatively about who we are, but should also strive to always be a good person.
I then began to wonder where she would get such a negative idea about how to look at herself. I knew it was nothing we said or did. We are always encouraging our kids and help them focus on being the best version of themselves. I am also careful about what she sees on television and in the videos we let her watch. She has somehow picked up this idea about herself somewhere.
It made me think about myself. I never say anything about the blotches I see on my skin or the 5-10 pounds I could stand to lose. At least not out loud. I’ve personally struggled with overcoming these things and am getting there. My goal as a mother to two girls to try to help them not to feel the same way about who they are.
I can control what I say and do, but there will always be media with these negative ideas thrown at her. But, what I can do is help remind her that she is an amazing young girl who I want to grow into a strong, beautiful woman.
I’m reminded to keep the conversations going with my girls – and my son – about how women need to stop being so hard on themselves. For some reason, men don’t tend to do this. I include my son in this so he understands what women feel and what they think so he can also encourage them to feel more positively about themselves.
I know he will one day have a girlfriend and then a wife. And, he may end up with daughters of his own. He too must understand the need to encourage them to have a positive image of themselves.
WHAT DO DO TO ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE SELF IMAGE
Don’t talk badly about yourself
It is easy to say that the pants you are wearing makes your butt look big or you have bags under your eyes. Kids pick up on this and feel that if you see this, they need to see it too. First of all, don’t be so hard on yourself and if you do feel this way, don’t talk about it in front of your kids.
Encourage positive talk
We all have at least one thing about ourselves we like. Let’s encourage our kids to focus on this and own it. When it comes to my oldest, she is an absolutely amazing artist. My son has a natural talent when it comes to playing the guitar and my youngest is an up and coming softball player. There is something we are all good and it should be proud of it.
Limit exposure
Everywhere you turn it seems someone is sharing something that may make you feel less than you are. When it comes to our kids, we can limit video and television time, so they are not bombarded with these messages.
Don’t focus on outer beauty
When you praise your kids, don’t focus on how they look but rather on who they are. Talk about her character traits that make her beautiful rather than her hair or the outfit she is wearing. Of course, you can say she looks nice or cute, but don’t make that the focus of what makes her beautiful.
Talk about the media
Even though you may try to limit her exposure (as noted above), that is not always possible. Talk about what they see in media. Help her learn how to filter through the messages the media sends.
Encourage her style
You may want your daughter to wear a certain brand or style of clothes, but that may not be her. Let her find the style that works for her. My oldest is into hoodies and comfy pants and my youngest sports tees and shorts. As much as I’d love them to both dress in cute tops and pants, I don’t force it. This is their style and I encourage them to embrace it.
A Unique Way to Encourage a Positive Self Image
With me going through this with my kids, I was instantly curious when I was contacted by the makers of Strong Self(ie). The message is just what I want for my girls — to always have a positive self image.
I do get many emails and offers and so before I ever even respond to them, I do my research. I am particular about with whom I partner. I won’t work with just anyone.
The one thing that instantly jumped out at me was that the two women who created this subscription box service were not only moms — but moms to young girls. I mean, if anyone is going to understand, it would be a mom who has a daughter of her own. They’ve really done something fun here. I also really love their message as to WHY they do this:
The mission of STRONG self(ie) is to build strong girls for life. As enthusiastic MOM-trepreneurs, we are determined to live out this mission with our own daughters, and empower parents throughout the United States to do the same.
Our box arrived and my youngest couldn’t wait to open it! It was filled will all sorts of fun items!
We first noticed that the box was wrapped with a lot of care. It was “almost” too pretty to open (almost).
Here’s a shot of everything that we found inside. It included a water bottle, sunglasses, candy, inspirational notes, neutral eyeshadow, scarf and membership for BYOU Magazine Girls Empowerment.
It was fun to see her spirits lifted as she opened her Strong Self(ie) box. It was all for her (and to share with her older sister, who also thought it was pretty awesome). I love all the products, but my favorite was the positive letters and kindness cards. Girls can pay it forward by handing these messages to other friends and people they meet.
I was really impressed with this box. It is the perfect gift for a teen girl because let’s face it, gifts for this age group can be TOUGH to find! You can order a one time gift, annual or quarterly subscription, which makes it work for your budget.
They offer two different boxes so that you can tailor it to the right age group. The BLOOM gift box is geared towards girls ages 8 – 12 and the BURST box is for girls ages 13 – 17.
Prices start at $59.95, but right now click the $10 off banner on the home page to get a discount offer on your first order! They also offer fantastic discounts during the year, so make sure you opt into their email list, so you get an alert when there is a price drop.
I don’t take product reviews lightly. Knowing that this one was such a good fit for what we are going through right now is why I did it. And, as I said, I was not disappointed – and you won’t be either.