low self-esteem

Dear Kathryn (A Letter to My Younger Self)

November 18, 2016 by Kathryn 8 Comments

Dear Kathryn,

Being young is such an odd mix of self-confidence and insecurity. On the one hand, you feel like there’s nothing in the world that you can’t accomplish. One day, you’re sure you’ll be a famous actress when you graduate. The next, you’ll be a lawyer. The day after that, you’ll be an international spy. Yet at the same time, you constantly worry about how many friends you have and what others think of you.

At thirty-five, I’m here to tell you that your life will be full of more twists and turns than you can possibly imagine. There are times you’ll be so happy that your heart can barely contain it. And there are times you’ll feel so lost and hurt that you’re not sure you can go on. The important thing, though, is that you will go on. And every time you fight through a challenge that seems insurmountable, the happiness you’ll gain afterwards will be greater than any happiness you’ve felt before.

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Dietainment is in Every Child’s Day! Take the Pledge and Help #StopDietainment

November 13, 2015 by Kathryn 33 Comments

While driving my boys to school a few days ago, I asked them if they had any items on their Christmas wish list. Benjamin, my youngest son, told me that he wanted a Nintendo 3DS (something he’s wanted ever since his brother received one), and a Power Wheels vehicle. He described the drivable, battery-powered vehicle he was coveting and finished by looking at me earnestly and saying, “And Mom I looked at the commercial, and I felt like they wanted me to buy one!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his description of how the advertising had affected him, but I was also a little amazed that it had made such an impact. After a few more questions, I learned that he’d seen the Power Wheels commercial four months ago when we were staying at a hotel. All these months later, he remembered it and wanted the product. If I’d ever wondered how much of an impact advertising could have on a child, Benjamin’s experience gave me an answer.

Of course, some of the messages a child sees each day are more damaging to their self-esteem and life outlook than others. And that’s why I’ve been watching my boys for the last week to learn what kind of “Dietainment” messages they see throughout the day. Unhealthy dieting messages disguised as entertainment aren’t just emotionally damaging; they can create unhealthy eating habits as well. And I had a feeling that my boys were being affected by these messages just as much as anyone else. [Read more…]

Stopping Damaged Self-Esteem in Children Means We Need to #StopDietainment

November 6, 2015 by Kathryn 33 Comments

When I was a teenager, I was absolutely in love with women’s magazines. I started out reading magazines like Seventeen, with its stories about young celebrities, makeup tips for teens and articles about getting “him” to like you. But I soon graduated to the more mature women’s magazines: Cosmopolitan, Elle and Glamour, to name a few.

While I enjoyed the fun, lightly-presented content and some of the hilarious or heartwarming articles, I have to admit that part of what appealed to me about magazines like these was their promise that with a few simple changes, I would be prettier, sexier and, of course, thinner. At 5’7” and around 155 lbs, I was certainly wasn’t fat. But I was convinced that I was huge and though I didn’t realize it at the time, magazines like the ones I was reading were only making that worse.

Back then, there was no term for the endless ads and articles promoting a thinner, prettier, “better” you. This year, Multi-Grain Cheerios started calling it Dietainment…and went on a mission to educate parents about just how damaging it can be to our children. With my first-hand experience of the destructive power of Dietainment, I couldn’t wait to join in the movement to stop Dietainment messages from reaching our children.
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