BODY IMAGE
Medical follow-up and weight: a subject to avoid in front of children
Developing a positive body image starts early. For this reason, nutritionists believe that doctors should not discuss a young child’s weight in their presence.
Quebec nutritionists, in collaboration with other health professionals, have written a letter that parents can give to their doctor asking them not to talk about height, weight, body shape, growth or the body mass index of their child in front of him.
Although doctors’ comments are generally well-intentioned, children under 5 do not have the maturity necessary to understand that weight is a complex issue, explains a psychoeducator who participated in the writing of the letter. . A child who hears these remarks could therefore draw false conclusions that will harm his or her body image.
According to the nutritionists behind the project, some children try, from the age of 3 or 4, to change their eating habits. In the long term, this could have negative consequences on their self-esteem and on their eating habits.
Discussions about children’s weight should therefore take place only between the doctor and the parents. They can then use simple words to teach their child to listen to his body’s signals, to eat a variety of foods and to move for fun.
To download the letter for free: nutritionnistesenpediatrie.com
Sources : The Press et Marie-Michele Ricard
FAMILY LIFE
Work-family balance and mothers’ guilt
The traditional roles associated with men and women may explain why more mothers than fathers feel guilty when their work interferes with their family life, reveals a study carried out in the Netherlands.
The researchers asked 251 parents to imagine how they would feel if they had to go to work when their child was sick and the other parent had to take care of them. The authors of the study observed that the mothers studied were more likely to feel guilty in this type of situation. In fact, the more a father associated women with motherhood and men with work, the less guilty he would feel.
By analyzing the time use of 105 mothers and their emotions regarding work, the researchers also noted that women who have a traditional view of feminine and masculine roles are more likely to feel guilty if they have to work longer hours than ‘usually.
According to the researchers, even if societies are increasingly egalitarian, the belief that a mother must prioritize her family would still persist. This kind of stereotype could influence the perception that parents have of themselves and their choices regarding work, they conclude.
Sources : The British Psychological Society et British Journal of Social Psychology
DEVELOPMENT
Singing for baby helps him socialize
Singing for your baby would be a good way to stimulate his social development, according to a study carried out in the United States.
The researchers came to this conclusion by measuring eye movement in 112 babies aged 2 or 6 months who watched a recording of a person singing a song. nursery rhyme.
They noticed that the babies were able to look at the eyes of the person who was singing while following the rhythm of the music. This behavior, which was already present at 2 months, was even better controlled at 6 months. The song, however, had to have a predictable beat.
When a parent sings for their baby, they would intuitively adopt a behavior that stimulates the bond of attachment, explain the scientists. Singing would then become a way of transmitting social information to toddlers and teaching them the mechanics of interpersonal relationships.
The researchers also point out that singing for your child is a habit that is found in all cultures. Music would therefore be an important aspect of the social development of children.
Sources : Eurekalert et PNAS
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Photos: GettyImages/Adene Sanchez, Delmaine Donson and Kosamtu
