QAsk Rene:
What Should I Say To My Daughter
When She Asks Me THIS? 

 

Hi Rene:

My 8-year-old daughter is going through a phase where she asks me several times a day if I think she’s pretty. Of course, I think she is and I say so, but I’m starting to feel uncomfortable with it because I don’t like all this emphasis on looks. She has many qualities that I like to talk about. Should I keep telling her that she’s pretty or should I dodge the question?

Signed:

Unsure in Utica

 

Hi UIU:

I’m not all that surprised to hear that you’re getting questions like this from your daughter , even at age 8. We live in a youth and beauty obsessed society. The good news is I think you have a real shot at changing her perception. So here’s what I would do in your circumstance:

1. Find Out If Something Is Bothering Her

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You mentioned that she just started asking these questions; why? Did something happened at school or with a friend? Did she see something on TV that made her wonder about her own looks? Talking to your daughter about what she saw, heard and feels seems like the most appropropriate place to start.