krista j.

My niece is 12. She has a bit of a belly. Nothing dramatic. She has started to get up 45 minutes earlier this past spring to exerise in the basement. She has an aerobic exercise tape that she does every M-F to "lose weight". I worry about her in the future. I don't live near her and I make efforts to encourage other assets: intelligence, being a good person etc. My sister is very outspoken, and is not afraid to critize other women. I would also say that she is self-conscious and probably does not have a great body image. My sister and my niece will watch "The Bachelor" together and critique the other girls with statements like "i can't believe he liked that one, her thighs are so much bigger" or "God her nose is so big". I find it offensive and sad that she is being raised to even think that perhaps a man would not like a woman because she is a size 8 not a 2. Our society has a lot of pressure on these young girls and we need to emphasize health and good fitness as an attractive role model- not being the skinniest girl in the class.