VALUABLE BODY

Her Valuable Body

It is every mother’s wish to raise a girl that loves herself and values her body. She only has one body, so she must take time to look after it and care for it. Her body is not for sale and she should never abuse it. These are just a few suggestions on how she should value her body.

Eat The Right Food

Teach her early to form the habit of eating the right foods. Certain foods are really good for her. Fruits and vegetables are excellent and full of natural nutrients.  Foods that contain alkaline are good for her and will make her skin glow and look healthy. Examples include almonds, avocado, carrots, coconut, spinach etc. Tell your daughter about the consequences of being overweight and not eating healthy food and lead by example.

Exercise For Life

Obesity is on the increase, even in Nigeria. Make sure your daughter gets into the habit of exercising early. If she starts young, it will become a good habit of a lifetime.   Don’t encourage her to sit at home all day long watching TV or playing computer games. Give her chores and make sure she moves around frequently. Let her find a sport that she enjoys like swimming or dancing. Walking is also great exercise which you can both do together.

Hygiene

As she grows older, her body will change and go through different stages, so mothers need to discuss hygiene and tips on looking after their body and smelling fresh. Girls need to learn that cleaning the genital area with mild soap and water on a regular basis will help limit bacterial infection.

Keep Her Body Pure

It’s hard to have these conversations, but as a mother of a 14 year old girl, I know that there is an urgency to keep girls on the straight route. There is a time for everything under the sun. As early as possible, mothers should teach their daughters about chastity and waiting for the right season to indulge in adult behaviour.  Talk to her about consequences of inappropriate behaviour including early pregnancy and STD . Also discuss morals and issues such as adultery and the pain it leads to. 

We can’t sweep these issues under the carpet, lets have these conversations with our girls and sow a good seed for their future.