If you're anything like me you'll tell your children they are beautiful several times a day. I want to encourage them to be confident and self-assured. But what has occurred to me is, do they see me telling myself that I am beautiful?
It's OK hearing from someone else that you are attractive and, of course, it's always nice to hear. But maybe only the really confident can say: "I am beautiful". Think about it – have you ever stood in front of the mirror and said it to yourself? It would be weird, right? But surely to demonstrate body confidence to our children, we have to demonstrate it ourselves.
There is so much pressure in the media telling our children how they should be, what they should say, how they should act and, primarily, how they should look. I hear shocking stories as younger and younger children are victims of body dysmorphic disorder, eating problems and anxiety over their weight.
Campaigns like the recent Dove Real Beauty Campaign and The Body Shop's doll Ruby, who challenged beauty stereotypes, are fantastic, but there needs to be more. I feel the media have a responsibility to teach self-esteem to all our children, no matter what they look like.
I know many mums feel angry, sad or fearful about the way the media portrays our bodies. Designers flaunting skeletal models, TV campaigns displaying unrealistic portrayals of women, not to mention the recent OK magazine publication discussing The Duchess of Cambridge's post-baby weight loss only 24 hours after she gave birth.
Personally I feel there needs to be a message sent to our media that these images are not acceptable any more; this archaic view that size 10 and above are "fat" and that our female lumps and bumps are not normal. Our daughters are being pressured to aim for something that is unachievable and are being taught to base their happiness on what they look like. As mothers we need to make a stand that we will no longer let our children be subjected to such scrutiny.
So this is my plea to you. Tell your children YOU are beautiful and teach them to have body confidence by demonstrating your own. Show them there is so much more to beauty than the perfect size six figure and teach them that happiness comes from within. Let's stop this mindless brain-washing of our children now.
This is me, and I am beautiful.
My name is Lisa, I am a full time mummy to Little H, 2 1/2, and Baby J, 1 year old. I blog at www.hollybobbs.co.uk where I write about many things from playtime to style to more personal topics.
Blogs at: Hollybobbs
Twitter: @hollybobbs