I’m a parenting expert – how Kim Kardashian has stooped to a new low as a ‘role model’ for young girls

Kim Kardashian’s body has perhaps been one of the most talked about of the last 14 years; one that has been idolized by many young girls and women across the globe.

No longer is the Kate Moss frame of the 90s something that girls are striving for, instead it’s the “slim-thick” body ideal that Kim and her sister Kylie Jenner have made so popular.

But found this body ideal is the cause of more body dissatisfaction among young women.

This is largely due to the fact most of the photos that the sisters post online have been heavily photoshopped, thus making their ‘look’ unachievable to the millions of young girls who look up to them.

After coming under so much criticism already, Kim has now shared her body fat percentage to her Instagram page, sparking even more backlash.

The DEXA scan showed she had a body fat percentage of 18.8% - putting a delighted Kim in the "athlete" category.

Aside from being triggering to anyone who may be struggling with an eating disorder, sharing this kind of information is not sending the right message to the young girls and boys who look up to her.

I think any parent reading her post would be despairing.

It's nothing new for Kim especially, but this latest reveal of her body fat percentage is actually quite worrying. What's the message she's conveying to young girls, including her own? 

Kim is mom to North, nine; Chicago, four; and their brothers Saint, six; and Psalm, three.

As a mom herself, being a positive role model is extremely important.

Role modelling is a key part of being a parent. Our children are always watching, listening (even if it sometimes may feel like they are not) and learning from us.

How we promote a healthy lifestyle, how we talk about body image, and how we teach our kids to love the skin they are in all comes from the role models that surround them.

With one in five children in the US classed as obese, parents are constantly reminded to ensure that their kids eat well and are active.

But parents also need reminding about influencers, such as Kim, their children are following on social media - to ensure that they teach their kids that what they are seeing isn’t always healthy or realistic.

Kids need to learn how to be happy and feel they are enough, just as they are.

With the likes of Kim and Kylie showcasing their weight loss and what their idea of perfection is, helping our kids grow up mentally and physically healthy is not an easy job.

But there are ways in which parents and other role models in a child’s life can make a positive difference.

Starting with ‘body positivity’ - this should be more about health and wellness than weight and appearance, something that is really important for kids to know.

Your beauty is not based on your size, shape or BMI.

Be a positive role model and embrace a healthy lifestyle -  that doesn’t mean restricting foods or calorie counting, it means being mindful of what foods you are buying and eating – including all the food groups, demonstrating appropriate portion sizes and not having food rules.

It also means being active as a family. Make a family bike ride a part of your routine, walk instead of driving, go swimming for fun.

Kids are influenced from a young age – research has shown children begin talking about body issues as young as five, so having these things as part of everyday life, is instilling that this is normal.

Have conversations about what your child is seeing in the media, in magazines and on social media -  check in regularly to ensure you can correct any misinformation about exercise, food and people’s bodies.

Teach your child all bodies are good bodies - to help them learn not to judge themselves by others unattainable beauty standards, like the Kardashians.

Teach them no two bodies are the same and change the gender stereotype narrative that tells our girls that they should be ‘pretty’ and boys that they need to be ‘strong’.

These ideas have a huge impact on how children go on to perceive themselves.

If they feel they are not living up to this expectation, they begin to feel insecure in their bodies.

And lastly, be mindful of how you openly perceive yourself.

Do you talk negatively about your body in front of your child?

Wear the swimsuit, eat the cake and remember that your child loves you for who you are, not what you look like.