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Commonwealth Parenting and The Children's Museum of Richmond
Did you know that Commonwealth Parenting has joined forces with the Children's Museum of Richmond to bring parent education and information to CMOR members and guests? Once per month, Family Educator Susan Brown is on hand for Q & A at Magical Member Mondays. In addition, every other Friday, Commonwealth Parenting family educators work with teen moms on skill development and parenting. Future plans include taking some of our most popular classes to CMOR - so stay tuned for updates!
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"Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters" Author visits Richmond
By Anjii Hayes, Vice President for Community Health and Wellness Network
Virginia Commonwealth University
Author, filmmaker and professor, Courtney E. Martin came to Richmond to discuss her book, Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters: The Frightening New Normalcy of Hating Your Body, at the Jewish Community Center on February 15 and at The University of Richmond on February 16. According to her book, approximately ten million Americans suffer from eating disorders, which have the highest mortality rate of any psychological disease.
Many people from the community attended the event on both days, including professionals such as psychologists, teachers, family educators, as well as parents and students. The book emphasizes the stress on young women to be perfect in almost all aspects of their lives. In doing so, these women lose control. Loss of control leads to an obsession to control the only thing no one else can—their bodies. An obsession with body image, body weight and being thin leads some women down destructive paths that are hard to veer from once they have taken that turn.
Ms. Martin also poignantly discussed how the objectification of women in the media has influenced girls, as young as 8 and 9 years old, to be obsessed with their bodies. Gone are the days of playing with Barbie dolls and Cabbage Patch kids. These young girls have become preoccupied with their bodies because of the media drumming “You must look thin” in their precocious minds during every commercial break. She promoted the importance of being healthy and acceptance of who you are. Ms. Martin also pointed out that it is okay to be imperfect and that we cannot be all things to all people.
Many of the attendees were thoroughly impressed with Ms. Martin’s presentation, citing that it was “wonderful, helpful, and informative.” Others expressed that her presentation was “a great opportunity to educate ourselves” and that she was “a great speaker and was very informative and inspirational!”
In closing, Ms. Martin left a striking message to teach children to love themselves regardless of the messages they receive from their environment. The attitudes and beliefs about our own bodies can have a huge impact on how children feel about their bodies. The power to influence a child to think positively about his or her own body starts with the parent. Why not start now?
Information about Courtney Martin: Ms. Martin, a professor at Hunter College, has an M.A. in writing and social change from New York University’s Gallatin School. Her focus is on eating disorders, perfectionism, and feminism. Some of her work has appeared in The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, The Village Voice and other national publications. For more information please visit her website at www.courtneyemartin.com
Resource Links for Additional Information
* Links denoted with a star have a local or regional connection
Eating Disorders Anonymous* www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org
Gurze Books www.gurze.net
Jessie's Wish * www.jessieswish.org
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorders
www.ANAD.org
National Eating Disorders Association www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
Northfield Foundation * http://www.aplacetobreakfree.com
Overeaters Anonymous * http://www.oa.org/index.htm
Remuda Ranch * www.remudaranch.com
The Renfrew Clinic www.renfrewcenter.com
Something Fishy www.something-fishy.org
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