Real Girls Eat

When my daughter was a tween and struggling with normal self image issues, naturally I began to panic.

How do I approach this delicate subject? What do I say or do to make sure she grows to love who she is? How do I compete with demented media expectations, objectifying women with perfection plastered on every television station, magazine and movie screen?

Although I will never pretend I have figured anything out, parenting included—I do know instinctively that you don’t always have to do or say anything. Sometimes reaction is more harmful than letting go. So I waited. I listened, observed, researched and reassured when necessary, but mostly I waited.

In the search for a gift for my daughter, I went to the bookstore and decided to browse the teen self help section.

Although most of the selection was disappointing, I was intrigued by a book entitled Real Girls Eat.

It is a beautifully illustrated and encouraging book for girls that are intelligent, adventurous and hard-working. Although it is a cookbook of sorts, it is not about weight loss or dieting. It is about love.

It teaches about eating for life and loving yourself in the process. The recipes are creative and cool and include eclectic varieties of whole foods. The snippets included on every page are testimonials of real girls and stories about their self love journey.

I never want my daughter to change who she is, I just want her to be healthy and happy and to feel loved unconditionally.

Real Girls Eat could be just what your daughter needs to affirm her faith in herself and to gain ideas on how to love the body she has been given.

For Questions or Comments email: suzanne_mcginnis@bellsouth.net.