They apply make-up, style, train and optimize themselves. They appear in children’s series, pose on TikTok and Instagram, walk down red carpets or present themselves in dating and reality shows – and always seem to look perfect. Media figures, influencers, stars and TV faces show what the “ideal” body is supposed to look like every day. This can put a lot of pressure on children and young people.
Big eyes, silky hair, defined muscles and seemingly flawless proportions: From an early age, children and young people are confronted with body images on screens that have little to do with reality. It starts with children’s television: Disney characters such as Elsa and Tarzan, the fairies from the Winx Club or superheroes such as Spiderman are often extremely slim or very athletic and muscular.
Children usually love such films and series not because of the stereotypes, but because they are exciting, funny, emotional or particularly beautifully staged. They tend to absorb the highly idealized body images in passing. However, these images can still be memorized and influence what children perceive as “normal” or “beautiful”.
For older children and teenagers, formats such as “Germany’s Next Top Model” or dating shows such as “Love Island” show very clearly what is important there: the perfect appearance. Anyone who doesn’t meet the expectations in terms of body, measurements and styling has a harder time. Success on the catwalk or in the search for intimacy and a relationship in such formats often depends on whether one’s own body conforms to the current ideals of beauty. Those who don’t fit in are sometimes publicly devalued or eliminated. This story continues on social media: Beauty, fashion and fitness influencersshow how to groom, apply make-up, dress, train and eat. Some also talk about cosmetic surgery, weight loss injections or other procedures. This often gives the impression that one’s own body is a project that needs to be constantly worked on in order to get as close as possible to a supposed ideal.
Young people often like such formats because they entertain, tell emotional stories and provide insights into topics that are important in their everyday lives: Appearance, recognition, flirting, belonging and self-presentation. They also invite people to join in the conversation – at school, with friends or on social media – and quickly become part of common conversations and trends.
These body images can be very influential, especially for children and young people. Young people look to their media for role models and ideas of how they want to be and what their lives can look like. If they are constantly surrounded by a certain body ideal, they may also develop the desire to look like this. They may even assume that personal worth depends on looking perfect – after all, this is the message that resonates in many TV formats and on social media profiles.
Children and young people are not necessarily able to recognize that body representations in the media are trimmed to perfection – staged representations and lighting, post-processing and effects create an illusion that no longer has anything to do with reality. What’s more, a lot of content on social media is now also altered, enhanced or even completely artificially generated using AI – making it even harder to recognize as edited or fake.
Trying to emulate such an ideal can lead to a lot of frustration and disappointment, to high expenditure on seemingly helpful beauty, training or nutrition products and even to tangible problems such as a disturbed body perception, psychological problems or eating disorders.
The offers are also often very gender-specific – for example, young girls are mainly shown make-up and styling tips, while boys are presented with muscles and strong heroes. In addition to the general pressure, this also reinforces clichéd ideas of gender roles.
Be aware of the body images your child is confronted with through their media use, for example via the parent guide for TV, streaming and social media services FLIMMO. Have your child show you their favorite shows or social media profiles and look together at what is being conveyed and shown. Talk about how media body images are created and why they are often not realistic.
You can also watch videos together that show how “perfect” pictures are created. If your child understands how media works and why the images on the devices are not realistic, this is a first step towards taking the pressure off. Educational resources such as this video from Funk can be helpful. You can find out more about how to deal with beauty ideals online in this article.
Create a counterbalance: use media time together and consciously watch films and series with your child that show diverse body images and don’t just use common stereotypes. You can also discover profiles together on social media that show other perspectives – and show your child that bodies can look very different.
It is very important to be aware of your role as a role model! Healthy eating habits, a friendly approach to your own body and an assessment of your own worth that goes beyond outward appearances are also shaped at home.
If you have the impression that your child is already psychologically burdened by certain body ideals, that their eating behavior is changing or that you are unsure – seek help. Talk to (school) psychologists, pediatricians or contact an anonymous counseling center such as the Nummer gegen Kummer.
