From the first moment I found out I was having a daughter, I knew I would have an incredible responsibility as she grew to teach her about her worth and identity in Christ.

I am still very much learning, but from the time she could walk and talk here are some of the ways Sean and I are working towards establishing her identity in Christ!

1. Praise her character attributes rather than just her physical appearance.

2. When we do say she’s beautiful, we state the reason why is because she’s made in Gods image, and speak God's promises over her.

3. We guard her eyes and ears for what goes in… including messages from shows and movies.

4. Establish healthy eating habits by encouraging her to listen to her body. When she is cooking with me, we talk about ingredients and why they are superfoods that make us strong and healthy.

5. Encourage movement and active play by limiting screen time and breaking up the day with activities.

6. Model behaviors. If I’m going to encourage her to listen to her body, eat nourishing foods, enjoy moving her body, and believe she’s beautiful because she is gods masterpiece, then I must place what I preach! Nothing is a more powerful teacher than modeling behaviors!

7. Watch my talk. As her mom, I’m most mindful about how I talk and share about my body and appearance. I try not to place too much focus on it, but when I do share and talk about my body, it will only be words of praise and promise that the Lord has spoken over me! A little girl learns so much of her body image from her mother, so I make sure I’m speaking what God speaks over me!

Like I said, I am not yet an expert, but no matter how young or old, I know we as parents can have a powerful impact on our Children’s identity, and as a mom of a daughter, body image is an area that is so important to establish in the truth!

If you are a mom of a girl and have learned some powerful ways to shape their identity, I’d love if you shared in the comments!

Pictures by @daynamaephotography