This mum wore a bikini to be a positive role model for her daughter

An Adelaide mum has donned a bikini for a family beach day in a bid to help her eight-year-old daughter gain a more positive body image after being bullied.

Carrissa Richardson gave her daughter a bikini for Christmas but Amitee refused to wear it as she didn’t feel comfortable with her body after enduring a year of bullying from her school ‘friends’.

The young girl had been told she was fat and her self-esteem plummeted.

Amitee and Carrissa. Image: Carrissa Richardson/supplied

Amitee even stopped eating properly and would hide food.

 “To be honest, I wasn’t surprised that she didn’t want to wear the bikini I bought her for Christmas,” Richardson tells 9Honey.

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The worried mum couldn’t believe her little girl wouldn’t even consider wearing her Christmas present so, putting her own body image issues aside, promised her daughter that they could wear bikinis together.

Image: Carrissa Richardson/supplied

“I made a deal with her that if she wore her bathers I would buy and wear mine too,” Richardson reveals to 9Honey. 

Richardson also reveals to 9Honey that she wouldn’t have worn a bikini if it hadn’t been in aid of showing Amitee that you should love your body no matter what.

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“I did it all for her, I don’t think I would have worn a bikini otherwise,” Richardson confesses to 9Honey.

Richardson was solely focussed on teaching her young daughter the importance of loving the skin you are in.

Carrissa and Amitee enjoying their day at the beach. Image: Carrissa Richardson/supplied

“It broke my heart because I don’t want her to have body issues so young,” Richardson tells 9Honey.

While Richardson admits slipping into a bikini was daunting at first, they all had the best day at the beach.

LISTEN: Mel and Kelly discuss how to deal with a school yard bully on 9Honey Life Bites.

Amitee has since moved schools and Richardson tells 9Honey that it was the best decision ever and that her little girl has come a long way and is back to eating healthily.

“I just want Amitee to know that she should love her body that you are given; you only get one.”