The sun is shining. Thank god we finally have a real summer day. 90 degrees, dry air, so hot if you are not at the pool you are not outside. Olivia, Francine and I head to the pool. This is definitely the summer I get to see if they finally have what it takes to hang at the pool. Wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, pack a lunch, swim, eat lunch and swim some more until it is dinner time, hang at the pool.
Bathing suits were everywhere. Duh we were at the pool. You know not many of us actually look good in a bathing suit. We can only be lucky enough to find a bathing suit that will hide some of our flaws. A suit that will hide just enough of our flaws so we feel good enough about ourselves to be at the public pool.
Still more bathing suits. Some of them really cute. Some of them really cute, but not cute or even flattering on the person wearing it. You know there are only a hand full of women that after say 30 and/or kids look good in a bikini. I often wonder do they know how they look in that suit? Is their body image off? Do they just want to wear the suit because they like it and they do not care how it looks on them? Doesn’t anyone that loves them tell them it is not flattering on them?
Bathing suits and body image began to make me think. Bathing suit shopping is never easy. My girls still have their boy like figures, no curves, still a baby fat pooch that comes and goes with each growth spurt. Never do we have to give a second thought in how they will look in the suit only what is the cutest one we can find. What would I say to one of my daughters if they were not so trim? When will my girls start to worry about how they look in a swim suit? What do moms say to their girls when they reach that stage when the baby fat starts to impact how clothes fit? How do moms balance ensuring their girls have a healthy self image but educate their young girls on what looks best on their body type?
Olivia: “Mommy, there is sand on my hand.”
Me: “Yes, that’s what happens when you play in the sand. Do you want to go back and play in the pool?”
Olivia: “Yeah!!!! Lets go do kicks!!”
Four hours later Olivia and Francine had proven to me that we were more then ready to hang out at the pool this summer. Towel dried, pink cheeked and still with a little smear of peanut butter on her face from lunch we were ready to leave. We were happy, exhilarated, excited for more pool days and exhausted! (Francine just barely made it to the edge of the parking lot awake) And for now we will embrace who we are without question and enjoy the the pool. Questions will come soon enough!
I can still remember how old I was when I realized I was shaped differently than my friend standing next to me in the mirror. We were wearing similarly-shaped t-shirts; that baby doll style that was popular in the late nineties. She has a flat stomach, and I did not. That’s when I realized that I was chubby and shapeless, and she had a great figure. I was thirteen. I wish that our daughters could all embrace their bodies with the carefree nature that children do.
Thanks for the good post, stopped by from the Sunday Funday linkup 🙂
Ah, let them enjoy the innocence of childhood as long as possible. There are more than enough of us out there constantly worried about body image. Swimsuits are the absolute worst.
Dropping by from Sunday Funday. Hope you are having a great weekend–cheers! VB
My niece really struggled with body issues during adolescense. She was a little chubby for a short time…that time when girls bodies start changing and hormones are crazy. It was painful to watch her cover herself at the beach. It was just as painful to shop with her and try to guide her to a bathing suit that was flattering! She wouldn’t even go in the water because she was so fearful of what people thought. I hope your girls keep stay innocent and confident for a long time!
Like Mommy Boots, I was 12 or 13 when I realized that I wasn’t quite outgrowing my baby fat like other girls. I hate looking at old photos and seeing just how messed up my perception was. I’m hoping not to pass this skewed perspective onto my daughter.
I’ll be wearing my pre-baby bikinis this summer, despite the stretch marks and mummy tummy, despite reservations. They still fit, I’m too cheap to replace them, and honestly, I’m going to the beach or the pool to swim and cool off.
And then I’ll be having a beer to quell that little voice in my head that says to cover up.