THAT'S CREEPY!

Body Image Issues

We just bought a new mirror for my daughter, Jenny.

She's six, almost seven, and still going through that phase where she loves princesses and fairy tales. Her room is decorated accordingly, and the mirror fits right in. It's freestanding, with a carved wooden frame. It’s gorgeous, I don’t know why it was so cheap at the garage sale.

We don't mind that Jenny likes things that might be a little young for her age. Kids these days seem to grow up so fast. That’s why I was so upset when she staggered into the kitchen one morning, sobbing that she didn’t like the girl in the mirror.

I felt my heart sank. My friends had told me about their own daughters suddenly developing body issues, but I figured that Jenny always seemed so happy about everything, maybe we’d miss that problem.

I tried to tell her how beautiful she is, but she just cried harder. I barely made sense of anything her wailing until she said, “She says she’s going to climb out!”

I’m now in Jenny’s room. She refuses to come back in, so I’m in here alone, staring at the new mirror.

In the reflection, I don’t exist, and the room appears empty except for the little girl right up close, hands pressed against the glass on the other side. She grins up at me through matted red hair, her breath misting the mirror as it hisses from between her terrible, pointed teeth.

Her eyes fixed on me, she smiles wider, pulling back her hands and then pushing them back towards the glass.

Except this time, the glass doesn’t stop her.