Blogging inspiration can come from the most random places and at the most random times. While browsing the net. While sitting in rush hour traffic [and going out of my mind]. While washing my hair (this one is the most annoying). And, most recently, while standing in line at the gas station.
So there I was, eyeing the racks of I-don’t-need-these-things-but-they-look-so-appealing-right-now while I waited to pay for my purchase, when my ears picked up a snippet of conversation from the mother/daughter pair standing behind me. The shock of the entire situation interfered with my ability to recall the exact words that were spoken, but it went something like this, and please keep in mind that the little girl was a scrawny little thing and all of 6 or 7 years old.
Daughter: “Mommy, can I have that bag of Skittles?”
Mother: “You don’t want that. It’ll make you fat.”
I.was.shocked. I mean, I remember my mom telling me I couldn’t eat something because it would ruin my teeth or give me a stomach ache, but nowhere in my memory banks can I recall a time where my mom told me I couldn’t eat something because it would make me gain weight. Never. And although my mom didn’t give in to all of my pleas for sweet treats, not once did she bring up weight or suggest that I should feel bad for enjoying some candy.
I know the development of an eating disorder is a lot more complex than simply having a parent model negative thoughts and behaviors in front of their child, and my own mom’s levelheaded approach to food obviously didn’t save me from succumbing to an eating disorder when I got older, but at least I was blissfully free of disordered thoughts during my younger years. At least I was allowed to be a kid.
It breaks my heart to see young girls missing out on their childhoods because they’re too busy thinking about calories and weight. 7-year-olds on diets? 8-year-olds suffering from anorexia? Ugh… there really are no words. And don’t even get me started on the psychotic-ness that is beauty pageantry. I seriously just want to hug all those girls, give them a cookie and a teddy bear, and tell them to go play…
I realize this might make me sound like an old fart, but kids seem to be growing up way too fast these days. Wearing makeup, rockin’ cell phones, worrying about how they look… My mom let me start using mascara and eyeshadow when I turned 16, and I didn’t get my first cell phone until I was 18. As for worrying about how I looked… well… I’d do my best to smooth down my cowlick bangs after a goofy night’s sleep made them stick straight up.
I realize that times are changing, but dang… talk about reminiscing about the good old days. What ever happened to just letting kids be kids? Or has the concept of childhood become so radically different from what I remember? I have to admit that I’m not exposed to a lot of kids on a regular basis so my assumptions might be way off, but tell me… has anyone else noticed the same thing? It honestly scares me to think of what times are going to be like when I have my own kids…
And just for fun… How old were you when you started wearing makeup? And at what age did you get your first cell phone?
Yikes. I guess it’s because the bigger problem, and MUCH more widely discussed issue of obesity, is this generations ‘hot’ topic.
People seem to forget that ED’s are so serious, so prominent, and the biggest killer of all mental illnesses.
Umm..I still don’t wear make-up. Can I still be a kid then?? Please 🙂 ?
Xxx
I think about this stuff a lot as I have a ten year old daughter. It makes me happy to hear you young folks saying to hold off on cell phones. There’s a lot of pressure as a parent these days. You don’t want your kid to grow up too fast, but you also don’t want them to be a total oddball.
As far as negative comments about weight, I would never. My daughter is learning about food the same way I did, that its fuel, and its fun. There’s brain food (fish, walnuts) skin food (fruits, water) food for big muscles (protein) food that’s good for your eyesight (carrots make you see in the dark as my mom used to say) etc, etc… We grow our own food and learn where it comes from. There’s treats, but they are for fun only, and they won’t really help your body work the best way it can.
Body image though, that’s a tricky one. I read somewhere recently that every daughter need to hear her mom talking positively about her OWN body. That’s a tough one. My own mother hated her body, and made that clear. I remember thinking as a kid that I didn’t want to be so negative about my body when I grew up. Thats easy to think when you’re young, but as you get older and gain wrinkles and stretch marks it becomes very hard not to frown at yourself in the mirror! I try not to make negative comments about my body in front of her, but I struggle to think of something positive to say about it. I’m working on it though!
Here in America, the story is a bit different. I get so riled up, so this is TL: DNR sorry!
I am PASSIONATE about childhood obesity — more specifically, how we go about handling it because I understand first hand food issues. Unfortunately pretty much every child thick or thin has been affected due to the media coverage.
I see your point — that women’s words “make you fat” are cringe-worthy, there is also a point where a parent is damned if they do and damned if they don’t. For example, people will judge both ways if a woman (desperate to help her overweight child avoid complications) monitors the portion of her child’s slice of cake at a birthday party or says no to second rounds of pizza … on half will be like “Let kids be kids! She is growing!” etc…
But if the mom were to let them go hog wild at the pizza and cake, there is a component who will also judge.
Basically, whatever happened to just let kids be kids? Everything. Times have changed.
Childhood obesity, change in foods and food habits, increase in foods eaten outside the home, increase in prepared foods with addictive additives, increased sedentary activities, school budget cuts, increase in prepared foods and food availability, socioeconomic changes… etc.
Yes, there is a way for a child to enjoy a bag of skittles and “just be a kid” but that requires that he/she was raised in a way where they know how to “just enjoy” a bag of skittles as a treat.
And NEVER EVER EVER should any child be told in such harsh words that any food will make one “fat.”
You definitely bring up a good point with the whole issue of “damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” and it’s a tricky terrain to navigate, but I really think the focus should be on health and NOT weight. Word choice is HUGE and can be the deciding factor between a positive and negative outcome.
Missy, I agree with your statements…I think one of the problems is that people don’t understand what a “treat” is. Whether a kid is naturally lean or a little bulkier, all kids should be entitled to special “treats” now and then. The problem arises when
a) those treats become everyday things…large portions of candy as a snack everyday, including junk food (bad not just because of calories, but artificial ingredients, etc.) in every meal, overblown portion sizes of calorie dense foods (pbj sandwiches LOADED with tons of pb)
b) those treats become guilt-laden, off-limits foods…because either the kid will end up with disordered eating habits related to undereating, or they’ll seek out those forbidden foods when Mom and Dad aren’t around, which could lead to a lifetime struggle with binging
Treats are treats! Everyone should have an occasional treat! My parents weren’t perfect in how they raised me, food-wise, but they did model the behavior that having a little dessert everyday is perfectly healthy. And those were real desserts, no low cal ice cream or fat free Miracle Whip atop strawberries…I mean fruit with dark chocolate, full fat ice cream, etc.
Moral of the story: Treats are delicious! And everyone deserves a treat now and then!
Amen, girl 😀 Very well put!
Ditto Amen!
Hey you guys, if you are as interested in this as me you may want to read this book.
Remember a while back Vogue featured an article about a woman who put her kid on a diet and the Internet went wild.. everyone hated her and I have to admit in the context of the article I was capital “H” Horrified.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Heavy-Mother-Daughter-Diet-A/dp/0345541340
After reading her book, however, the black and whites of it went away and though I may not have agreed with everything I ended up kind-of loving her. She just raises really really good points and you get into the experience of what it is really like to face this issue…like for example she hired a nutritionist but it did diddly and you see why when you read.
PS- Also AC I love that you did mayo and fruit — I don’t like mayo so much but ADORE vegenaiisse and there is most definitely few places it won’t go on my plate.
I really try very hard to get my son to understand from an early age the importance of a balanced diet of everything in moderation. I do not own a scale and tell him all of the time that the number is not important – how you feel about yourself and being healthy is. That being said, my son has a very hearty appetite (as do I) and I have taught him from day one to eat foods that will satisfy him. I never deny a great dessert, treat or the cheeseburger he chose for lunch yesterday – but I do try to stick to time and place for everything. If he is super hungry, I try to get him to eat a meal versus grabbing something packaged etc….I will NEVER relate to the movement here in NY where the schools have eliminated bringing in a treat to share with the class on their birthdays. I have the fondest memories of getting all excited to bring donuts to share with the class. I do understand donuts and cakes and cookies are not healthy, however, they are not going away so denying the kids a treat, especially on their birthdays, will not solve the childhood obesity epidemic.
I hadn’t heard about that movement, but I have a lot of fond memories of sharing treats with my classmates as well, so that makes me sad. And I agree… I have a really hard time believing that it’ll help in the childhood obesity epidemic 😕
Same as you, girl…I was sixteen when I started wearing some makeup, and eighteen when I got my first phone. I am totally with you on this one-I have little sisters, and I am very careful not to talk about calories or weight in front of them. They’re still enjoying the childhood days that I miss so much 🙂
That makes me feel sick. I often think about (and worry about) how I’ll instill good habits in my kids. I want to focus on whole foods, including things like freshly baked brownies, full-fat cheeses, and homemade ice cream, and teach them that the chemicals in certain foods aren’t healthy for our bodies, so consume them in moderation! And, never ever ever would I talk about weight or diet with a child. Never.
That’s awful. My parents never mentioned weight to us. It’s one thing to push healthy habits and good nutrition to kids but there’s no reason to tell a 7 year old they’ll get fat from an occasional candy bar.
I grew up with little comments about weight and it really affected me. Don’t get me wrong I had a great mother and father but my dad told me a girl shouldn’t weigh over 100lbs before they get married. He’s one of those that thinks you should just have “thick skin” and don’t take things like that to heart. (Also the kind that doesn’t believe in therapists) He’s gotten better over the years since having me and my sister and seeing our struggles.
It’s amazing how many people that have that “thick skin” just think they can say whatever and it not hurt anyone’s feelings.
I didn’t wear makeup until I was 17 and my mom was finally like, come on Ashley… fix yourself up a little. My reasoning behind it was that I didn’t know how to do my own makeup and I looked at other girls that caked it on and thought, “Ew. You look like a hooker.” I got a cell phone when I was 16 and the only reason was that my dad was worried my car would break down. I didn’t have texting until I was 20.
I started wearing makeup in high school and I definitely have no recollection of my mom saying no to candy because of fat content, either. It was either I had too much already or I didn’t need anything so late in the day etc. However, my mom did try weight watchers WITH ME at about 13 years old. We didn’t follow it exactly or go to classes but sometimes I wonder if just the diet mentality lead to this or it was just something completely different… Like my goal of being a perfectionist. The little girls doing pagents make me sick. Seriously. I cringe watching the show as little girls wish for fake tans and better teeth. UGH. Those poor girls.
This really makes me sad. I saw similar things around me and I wish I could just go and shake these moms. It is one of the reasons that I a, still childless, because I never wanted to give my disorder to my kids and as long as I am not recovered, I fear they would copy my behaviors.
I started with make up when I was 13 or 14, I guess I was a bit faster with these things cause I had an older brother.
I love the question about cell phones – in my generation there WERE no cell phones 🙂 I bought my own when I was 21 🙂
I was always terrified that I’d pass my disordered habits on to my [future] kids as well. I want to be able to bake cookies and eat ice cream with them with no problem, so I completely understand your decision to wait. All the more motivation to get better 🙂
Oh my goodness I couldn’t agree more. It upsets me so much to hear anyone, much less a kid, make comments about weight/fat/food…all that stuff. My therapist has told me some shocking personal statistics about eating disorders, including 8/12 eating disorder patients are males and the youngest she has is 7 🙁 At least we have the opportunity to recognize how dangerous words/modeled behaviors can be so we can remember it when we have kids 🙂
Wow, that is so sad. I am so grateful that my parents never talked to me like that. We were definitely allowed to eat candy and drink soda, as long as we asked permission and they said it was alright, and then they would usually get it out of the cupboard for us. As for cell phone and make-up, I started wearing makeup when I was probably in middle school (I know, way too early!) and got my first cell phone probably in junior high. It was one of those TracFones (sp?) and I actually got it from a gas station! Lol, it was one of those wear each text would cost half a minute, and you had to buy like 25 minutes at a time!
where*
Ahhh I was planning a post on a similar topic today! I agree, the rate at which this is happening is absolutely out of control.
My mom has been struggling with weight issues (despite the fact that she’s a perfectly normal weight) for quite some times now, and I’m not proud to say that my mom does the same thing with my sister (she’s 12). She still buys desserts and treats for us, but it seems like she also makes it a point to tell her how many calories are in that slice of pie or that bowl of ice cream. It’s so sad and disheartening.
The good news is that there are campaigns, companies, and individuals out there determined to defy this image and show girls that you don’t have to be a stick to be beautiful. It’s a slow movement, but it’s a start!
I get really freaked out when I think at how different growing up now must be, compared to when I was a child and teenager. I am SO thankful that MySpace, Facebook, Twitter etc hadn’t been invented – MSN was about as advanced as social networking got!! Can you imagine comparing yourself to other girls at school when you are faced with hundreds of stunning photographs, the fact that they have xxxxx followers on Twitter, hundreds of Facebook ‘friends’ etc. Not to mention access to hundreds of images of celebs. I only had magazines, most of which I wasn’t allowed to read – and even then I’m sure they were more level headed than the content that’s featured now!
I’m really thankful that social media wasn’t a big part of my childhood either. I remember instant messaging on AIM, MSN, and ICQ, but I couldn’t imagine being on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Heck… that stuff even overwhelms me now…
I’ve definitely noticed similar things. I work at a little girls clothing store and you’d be amazed at how many 10-12 year olds have iPhones. Absolutely crazy! I was 13 when I got my first cell phone, a pink Razor. It didn’t have Internet and I couldn’t text. I started wearing make-up regularly in 10th grade I believe. I think I was just too lazy to wear it before that! 😉
I think kids are much more spoiled now a days. This makes me sound so old saying this, but it’s true. My cousins all have iPhones or iPads. They can’t survive a day without it. I had a Nokia cell phone that didn’t even get texted my senior year of high school.
Ahh the good old huge and clunky Nokias… I had one of those too 😆
I was probably about 13 when I started wearing light makeup, really just a excuse to try to want to be older. My first phone came when I was 16, it was when they started becoming popular with the average day crowd, it was big and monochromatic.
I don’t mind the idea of kids having phones at a early age, especially here in NYC. They are a main source of contact as well as information. Not to mention it starts a whole generation of hopeful tech savies who want to investigate not only how do things work, but why. This is super important to the tech industry for future builders, this relates to the video game industry as well.
it does break my heart to hear that too. oddly, my mom was all about eat what you want. we could ruin our dinner with a snack and that would be our own lesson. I think that approach led me to have a very healthy relationship with food until peers entered the picture in high school. side note, thank you for making me crave candy at the butt crack of dawn.
I’ve noticed this too. My cousins are 8 years old and have iPhones already. There’s nothing to look forward to when you start that young and it forces you to grow up so much faster. Then the weight issues start younger because you’re maturing at a faster rate. I don’t think my mom ever used dieting as a reason for not letting me have something, although I did get it in my head at a very young age what things were considered not quite as healthy. I wasn’t allowed to have some snacks but it wasn’t that I’d “gain weight” it was that it “wasn’t good for me”. Studies show that the kids who are allowed to eat anything they want grow up with the healthiest bodies and mindsets surrounding food. Unfortunately because of the way our society seems to operate, it’s easier said than done to actually put this approach into action.
This makes me so sad for children growing up these days! We kind of have a “catch 22” on our hands, the childhood obesity epidemic is a reality, HOW parents choose to handle that is the key though. Breaking kids down by telling them negative things about themselves & their foods is NOT the way to go! Not to say my childhood was perfect although I think the emphasis my parents placed on feeding us healthy & wholesome foods along with the fact we were encouraged to play outside shaped my world for the positive. Another super-important post, thanks for brining this to light!
it just saddens me to see things like that..Instead of encouraging kids to stay kids – I have started to notice kids are growing fast way toooo fast. There are shows that promotes beauty pagents, makeup and all that and I am like – those girls are seven, they should be in playground not tanning salon. Its insane. I never wore makeup until couple years ago and if only I had clearer skin, I wouldnt..Cellphones-when I was 17-18.
I can’t even watch those shows. They legitimately scare the hell out of me and I end up wanting to strangle the mothers 😡
When I was hospitalized and then moved to an inpatient program, their was a 10 year old in the program too. At first, I couldn’t fathom such a young girl having an eating disorder, but she was very very ill and physically, it was alarming. It hurt so much to hear her talk about being made fun of for being a bit pudgy in 3rd grade, and how she started to hate her body so much. I loved that little one, and she was so adorable and it just broke my heart seeing her in so much pain.
there*
Oh could I write a whole series about this…oh my gosh. My parents were very adiment that I didn’t wear makeup, shave my legs or any of that until really late middle school. I think it helped me, though I was sheltered child but it saddens me so much to see girls in middle school even worrying about weight. Though that is when they are already 13 years old.
As someone who has never had an eating disorder but worked with females ranging from 13-20 with them…it just saddens me how so much of it starts early when there is no way shape or form that you are gathering solid evidence about nutrition.
This is awful, and I hope someone straightens that mother out about how she should be talking to her daughter. There’s nothing wrong with saying no to candy, but like you said, it should be because of health or cavities or ruining your dinner, NOT because the child will get fat.
I wore blue eyeshadow (yikes!) and glitter to dances and “special occasions” when I was in 8th grade, but I didn’t really start wearing makeup until the end of 10th grade. I also got my first cell phone in 10th grade – it was a pay-as-you-go phone that my dad gave me $20 a month for. I wouldn’t ever need more than that many minutes to get in touch with my parents, so if I wanted to text and talk to my friends, I had to pay for it myself. My parents were in NO rush to have me grow up hahah.
Oh blue eyeshadow and glitter that definitely brings back some awkward teenage phases 😆
That is so sad! I really worry about having children in the future because of the many complex issues on our world. I work in a restaurant (here in Edmonton) and just two days ago was disappointed in a mom who was our for lunch with her two daughters. When I placed the food in front of the daughter (which is actually a completely normal portion), the little girl was excited for her meal. Right away the mom said “you can’t eat all of that,” and quickly picked up the plate and moved part of the food onto a side plate. Made me so sad and if that was happening in a restaurant, who knows what kind of things were happening at home!
You’re SO right! I’ve been teaching kids dance & drama classes (and full time summer programs) for the past 5 years. I have snacks & lunch with them everyday all summer long. The kids are anywhere from 4-14. Some of them are awesome, and tell me how excited they are about riding their bike with their friends after class, or tell me about the yummy bowl of ice cream they’re going to eat when they get home. But a lot of them? I hear my SIX year olds using the word calorie at lunch.
Hm, only half my comment came through? Oh well!! Awesome post, Amanda
This is so sad to me, I remember in 9th grade was the first time girls started talking about how much they weighed…and then going to the mall girls would compare there pants sizes. I think I started wearing mascara when I was in eighth grade but the beauty of it was never something that was on my mind..I just saw my mom wearing some and wanted to be like her. It is sad that some parents are putting those thoughts into a childs mind, they are suppose to be positive role models not negative.
It’s really sad that women can say things like that to their children and not even realize that it could have lasting effects. She probably didn’t even think twice about saying that because she’s probably never dealt with having a bad realtionship with food.
Either that or she already has a bad relationship with food so those kind of statements seem perfectly normal to her 😕
Ridiculous. I had friends when I was around 10 years old that I remember saying little things their moms told them about getting fat and I didn’t understand. My mom never used any sort of language like that and would only promote a healthy balanced way of eating, in no regards to weight. But honestly I hardly thought about food and it was just food, nothing else. I think the healthiest mindset most people have surrounding food is as a kid, granted they don’t have parents saying things to them like that mom you mentioned. I totally notice this trend (especially since I work with kids and hear them repeat things their moms say to them) and it scares me as well.
I didn’t start wearing real makeup (not glittery face crap or lipgloss) like mascara and eyeliner until I was 16 also. I got a phone at 16 when I had a learner’s permit to drive. It’s crazy now. It starts in like elementary school for both cases,
I started wearing makeup quite late. For some reason, I felt weird asking my mom to let me wear it…I was nervous and thought she’d think I was growing up too fast. I started with a little Bare Minerals to cover up minor acne in 11th grade, and then a little mascara in senior year of high school. Now I wear light foundation/cover up, curl my lashes, brown or grey eyeliner and mascara. I look to look very natural. On special occasions, I’ll wear a little tinted lip gloss, too
I got my first cell phone when I was in 7th grade (I’m only 19 now). I did a lot of afterschool activities, and my parents needed a way to reach me. That being said, I only started texting (and got a texting plan) in 10th grade. My parents really emphasized the fact that it’s rude to constantly be on one’s phone, especially when with other people, at meals, etc. At the time, it was irritating, but I appreciate those guidelines now because I think a lot of teens today are WAY too attached to their iPhones
And as for parents making comments about weight…mine certainly did. They meant well, and I think I was so resistant for sooo long that they thought there was no chance of their comments leading to disordered eating. But they certainly did. I was a healthy kid, but certainly not scrawny by any means. I ate a TON of pasta, bread, etc. and was very picky. I outgrew my pickiness eventually, but my parents’ comments about pasta making me fat hurt…
Oh and I really need to stop commenting…but the picture with the Smarties is making my mouth water like crazy!!!! Smarties > M and Ms anyday!
I still remember when my sister was in the 6th grade telling me about her friend whose mom put her on a diet. Her friend btw was already stick thin and I don’t know what possible diet she would need to go on, but i thought it was craaazy. And her mom was all into extensions and make up for her daughter. I mean come on…she’s in the 6th grade! Thats just one grade above elementary school! I really think that moms telling their kids these things will affect them in a negative way when they grow older. gahh.
As for me, I still remember getting my first cell phone in the 10th grade. I was SO so excited. haha
Kids these days get their cell phones so young. They’re growing up so much quicker than we did!
I see this all the time as a teacher. I had female students when I taught middle school that refused to eat a lunch… I definitely made sure to investigate that topic further and it comes back to what we can all assume- they didn’t want to “eat too much” during the day. Isn’t that crazy? I’m talking 6th graders…. I try to make sure I’m always promoting a HEALTHY lifestyle and HEALTHY eating in all my roles in life but especially as a teacher. Students/children are extremely impressionable and they watch us closer than we think.
I didn’t wear makeup until a high school dance freshman year and it was only for the dance. I didn’t ACTUALLY start wearing it until Junior year and even then it was pretty much mascara and chapstick.
I know I already told you this, but the world needs more teachers like you. Keep kickin’ butt, girl <3
I’ve noticed that kind of behaviour with my sister (who has her own body image issues) and her kids. I don’t think she’d ever say that to her daughter, but I’ve heard her talking about burning off calories and the calorie content of her kids’ foods in front of them – just stuff that shouldn’t even be on a child’s radar. Ugh. I make a point of telling her off when I notice it.
oh that’s sad. moms need to really think before saying those kinds of things because they stick with their daughters a longggggggg time, although of course i understand slipping a few times because they’re human. i realize now how much my moms attitude about weight (and her cruel commentary of other peoples weight) affects me.
i got my first cell phone at 14! my 8 year old cousin just got an i-phone and i was all kinds of freaked out about it. so weird.
Ah that makes me ragey..it’s only planting the seed of an eating disorder. Although I was big as a child, I don’t recall my mom ever referring to my weight where food was concerned. I hear moms these days refusing to feed their kids any kind of junk and instead feed them rice cakes. You know I’m all for healthy eating but there’s a time and place…one of the best things about eating as a child is being blissfully unaware. As much as I vow to feed my kids homecooked, wholesome meals I will also be giving them their dose of junk too.
AH! Horrible parenting in the candy aisle! The poor thing will probably scarf down all those foods at friends houses in secret from her mother, which already starts the shameful eating pattern. ugh its so sad. and that’s such a cute birthday pic!! you were adorable! i actually dont remember when i started wearing makeup.. to be honest, i still forget to put it on half the time (which is not a good thing because i turn 30 next month, and youthful skin is one thing, but my 30 year old skin needs a little help. oh well that’s what huge sunglasses are for.) but i got my first cell phone when i was 18, after writing my parents a 3-page persuasive email from college BEGGING for one and listing all the reasons why it was a good idea. i earned that cell phone.
Ha! That’s great. I spent forever begging my parents for a cell phone too. I should have thought to write a letter 😉
Sometimes I wonder if people even realize the impact that they have on their children. Saying things like that on a regular basis is a disaster. That little girl will eventually tell her friends that candy will make them fat, and then they will start to believe it too. And even if they have the greatest parents they care more about their peers opinions. I feel like kids are growing u fast because many parents think they are little adults-they’re not.
Oooooh boy – that opens up a can-o-worms right there. My mom watched my weight for me as a kid, though she never said “you’ll get fat.” Actually, I didn’t know for a long time why I wasn’t allowed to bring Dunkaroos for snack or eat Cookie Crisp cereal at breakfast when all my other friends could. Of course, I thank her for all this now. Thanks mom!
I started wearing makeup in 8th grade. My mom wasn’t crazy about it, but I had really really really bad acne, and she finally just felt pity enough to let me *try* and cover it. (Key word = try)
That is so sad. I can do you one better though. A 5 year old student of mine told me “I need to diet.” I don’t know how the topic came up, but obviously someone had been telling her she needed to lose weight. At 5 years old. Another student started agreeing so I just said that all we needed to do was make good food choices (we were talking about nutrition in Science) and make sure we have time to run around and play outside. But it just made me so sad.
I was lucky to never have a mom bother me about that stuff when I was little. But I was also super skinny back then too. Now my mom bugs me when I gain weight and it’s hard to hear but I know she means well… I just wish she would say it in a nicer way.
Okay.. makeup? High school? Maybe? Cell phone – when I was 17 or 18, shortly before I headed off to college. But cell phones were still new back then, lol. And minutes were expensive!
Good for you, turning that conversation around to something positive. There’s a difference between keeping your kids at a healthy weight and making them think they need to diet. That’s so awful.
5 years old?! My.God. I do love how you turned it around, though. Taking the focus off of weight and redirecting it to health is definitely a better approach.