Obese Child? They'll be taken away!

vim_n_vigor

I also find this post funny coming from someone who's profile claims that they gained 80 lbs in 4 months due to a thyroid problem. But all obese kids have unloving parents?

This^^

What does healthy lifestyle and thyroid disease have in common? NOTHING. I had cancer, so sue me and sue my parents, because that must be their fault, right?

They were just saying that there can be factors beyond what the child is eating causing the obesity. Children are not immune to cancers and thyroid issues either, they can gain a lot of weight from medications they are on as well. Should these children be taken away from their parents because it is surely their parent's fault and they should be sued as well!

chelekaz

To the OP.... 90 pound 2 year old yes.... but in a child it does not take much to put them in a obese category. Maybe next time before you vent you should think through what you are writing.

No offense meant, but honestly you came across as a judgmental, holier than though little you know what. Now, I am NOT saying that you are that at all... but with your post being general regarding parents of obese kids not loving their kids and being lazy. To hell with that. That was one of the rudest most judgmental things you could have written.

Dtho5159

Well if thats the case then my whole family should be taken away because my grandparents, all my uncles, my dad and half of my cousins were or are obese.

carlxo21

I feel like obese children are the result of lazy parenting. It's almost child abuse in my eyes, having the child be so unhealthy. And to think of the hard life they will have. Parents should try to raise healthy kids. But unfortunately so many people/parents are not healthy themselves. They don't care. And they don't care about their child's health either.

Unknown

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Dmax12

So, should we take kids away from parents who are skinny but not healthily fed? Should all kids that eat McD get taken away? How obese is too obese? Sure, some of these kids probably would benefit, but so would some skinny kids. There are homes with very obese kids and very skinny ones - all in the same family. Do you take only the obese child away?

Not quite I get whats being said here... Kids who are too skinny but are being fed a poor diet should be taken away??? YES and absolutely!!! am I not understanding the hypothetical situation here? Kids only eat poor foods as a result of their parents, kids only play inside as a result of their parents. The point of being a parent is to teach your kid how to be an adult, that includes proper nutrtion. And we should not BLAME McDonalds, thats a weak persons excuse. McDonalds exsists because you gave them money. there is no one to blame but yourself.

Though I don't like the idea weigh me this, Is it better to experence trama young or die younger with health problems?

Froggy1976

I also find this post funny coming from someone who's profile claims that they gained 80 lbs in 4 months due to a thyroid problem. But all obese kids have unloving parents?

This^^

What does healthy lifestyle and thyroid disease have in common? NOTHING. I had cancer, so sue me and sue my parents, because that must be their fault, right?

only pointing out the fact that you have not taken into account any of the reasons a child might be obese other than their parents don't care enough. You have an excuse why you gained weight right or at least your profile says so and it wasn't because your parents didn't care enough.

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♥_Ellybean_♥

So, should we take kids away from parents who are skinny but not healthily fed? Should all kids that eat McD get taken away? How obese is too obese? Sure, some of these kids probably would benefit, but so would some skinny kids. There are homes with very obese kids and very skinny ones - all in the same family. Do you take only the obese child away?

:drinker: Agreee

Just_Dot

There are *so many* things to take into consideration when looking at obesity in kids...genetics, family influence, being informed about healthy eating, and having access to and the financial means to eat healthy. I don't think it's any secret that if a mom on a budget has to choose between a family-sized box of Kraft Mac n Cheese (that will feed the family) or a few apples...for the same price, she'll choose the mac. (Really, our local paper did a series about poverty and eating habits in Denver and a woman used that example.) Not to mention the fact that it's harder to find healthy choices in poorer areas...there are so many people fighting an uphill battle.

Once we do something about all of the above, then perhaps we'll see declining obesity rates in this country. Does something need to be done? Yes. However, it's a complex problem which will require a multi-leveled solution--taking kids away from their families who (presumably) love and cherish their children just won't fix a d@mn thing.

Oh, and to the OP, for you to make a blanket statement about how "lazy" parents are when they drive through McDonald's--rather than take the time to make something healthy and good for the kids...well, you've clearly never been a working parent with children. Yesterday, my kids had chicken nuggets from McDonald's (and I had a Big Mac, thankyouverymuch!) However, today, they had whole wheat pasta with veggie-filled sauce, that I made from scratch (and froze a few weeks ago.)

Balance and moderation, balance and moderation.

gnoccola

I have 2 girls, 5 and 7. One of them is super skinny. No matter how much she eats, you can see avery single muscle in her abs. I have to have all her pants altered because they fall down. I can guarantee, she eats, and eats. She is although very active. She runs and jumps and keeps moving. She sleeps only what is necessary and she's up and running again. I guess her metabolism is fast, her thyroid is overworking, or she is just born with this super athletic body.
My other daughter looks like me when I was a kid. She eats normal meals, she goes to school, after school, swimming, dance, and to the playground constantly. But, she rather read than jump and run. She reads whenever she can. She just loves books. She is a chubby baby. Not fat, but on her way. I remember myself at that age and I grew up to be overweight. Never too fat, but always with the 10-30 fluctuating extra lbs.
I feel so guilty because of that, I know one day she will blame me for being chubby. But, I don't know what to do. We have healthy meals, with lots of veggies. We never drink sodas or juices, never eat fast-food. I cook all the times, and watch the calories.
I just see the the 2 kids are different. They eat the same things and they have totally different bodies. I don't feel like putting one on a diet while the other one eats dinner.
...

ak_in_ak

I think some people are missing the point, if your child is morbidly obese and you continue to feed them crap, then that is abuse. When doctors tell you, you are killing your child and you fail to do anything, then you are an unfit parent. How do you feel when you hear about a baby being born addicted to crack, it really isn't that different when a child is 2 and addicted to fast food. As many of you know it is an addiction!

nerdyandilikeit

I think growing up on a farm would be very nice.

Maybe for some, but I grew up with hayfever and asthma. I dislike being out in nature for too long, allergy meds or no allergy meds. Where should I have grown up, Heather?

FearAnLoathing

.

ilookthetype

Any of you ever been through the foster system or know people who have been? Before we start taking kids away from their parents and putting them in foster care they should fix the foster system.

How is taking a depressed kid away from their family helping?
Lots of medical conditions/food intolerances cause rapid weight gain, and doctors don't diagnose them correctly (I am an example of this) with my Celiac.

The government ruins enough things, it shouldn't take families apart. Why not blame McDonald's instead of the parents? Or the food industry in general?

Why not start with mandatory meetings/classes for these parents? Why start with ripping apart a family?

Actually, both of my parents came from the foster home system. No, my parents did not have ideal lives growing up, but their original situations were worse. Growing up, my family housed foster kids as well...I always had "brothers and sisters" in our home, so I have definitely seen both sides of the system. I'm not saying foster care is ideal, but SOMETHING has to be done, because the USA is the ONLY nation in the WORLD right now whose children are dying before their parents because of unhealthy lifestyles TAUGHT to them by said parents. Maybe taking children away is extreme, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Should we start with like, a nutrition class though?

Schwiggity

It's not always that simple, and you can't predict the psychological or physical damage that can be done to a child being stripped from their parent. What does need to happen is intervention and education, and overall reshaping of how our society views food, which I think is happening, but slowly.

SmartFunGorgeous

I can't even take time to read what everyone else is saying, because ARE YOU SERIOUS??? Besides the fact that the government is trying to micromanage our lives WAY too much as it is, REALLY?

I was overweight since five, but it wasn't because my parents screwed up. I grew up on a dairy farm; my mom cooked every one of our meals, we had garden veggies, fresh dairy products, fresh beef, poultry, pork, fruit orchards. I played outside CONSTANTLY, plus I had chores all the time. I drove tractors, hay'd the animals, bottle fed the calves, HAULED HAY, and everything imaginable you can do on a farm. We swam in the creek, swung on grapevines, built forts, and walked all 600 something acres on a regular basis. My three younger sisters didn't have weight problems. Just me.

And who, pray tell, do we give these obese children to? Foster homes, really? Because they don't already have enough emotional issues, let's give them more. There are great homes, there are terrible homes, but there aren't ever enough because some people want to tell others how to live their lives while doing absolutely nothing to actually get their hands dirty and lead by example.

My soap box is over.

chelekaz

I feel like obese children are the result of lazy parenting. It's almost child abuse in my eyes, having the child be so unhealthy. And to think of the hard life they will have. Parents should try to raise healthy kids. But unfortunately so many people/parents are not healthy themselves. They don't care. And they don't care about their child's health either.

Wow, yes. That is it. Parents must not care about their kids... it certainly couldn't be because they are uneducated. How many on MFP were NOT overweight or obese as children and now are... and some have kids that are as well. Don't you think it is more about reteaching good nutrition and eating habits to the family?

Just be careful with all that judging... I'm sure there are those who could rip holes in your world too..

hpygirl64ColleenLinder

ABSOLUTELY AGREE... kids have a hard enough time when average in school not getting made fun of and their health is up to the parents and starting them out right with proper balance and nutrition is just as important as their schooling if not more! I am helping
to end the trend of obesity in America and am especially passionate about doing so with our children. Have your children work out with you to something fun, include them in cooking healthy, etc. The average American's age span has gone down in the first time in years because of this very same issue!

Feel free to friend me anyone on here as I love this post out of the ones I've ever seen on here and lets help end the trend together amongst our children.

Peace, love, and health... Colleen (Seattle)

Ms_Natalie

Prevention is always the best cure!

Maybe the government could start promoting healthy eating (it's a BIG thing in the UK) in schools and try and also get the parents involved.

However, then you have to deal with angry parents who refuse to be coached regarding their parenting.

It's difficult...and I certainly disagree that clinically obese children should be taken away...this would cause more problems...and they may start over eating to deal with the stress. Maybe an idea would be for social services to be indirectly monitoring them and giving advice to them, guiding them e.t.c.

Taking away children for obesity will only end in a serious problem. You don't treat a negative thing with a negative action...it will just create huge problems.

Schwiggity

Also what about children who break bones by skating and falling? Obviously they have neglectful parents. What about children who are fed poor nutrition, but not a lot of it? That's still not healthy. Parents that smoke in the house? They shouldn't have children either.

Now while all of these are obviously harmful to children, that isn't what's being disagreed upon. It's that anyone thinking taking children away from their parents is somehow a good alternative for any problem. Also, this bull**** of blaming the individual instead of taking into consideration the plethora of environmental factors that can play a difference.

Dmax12

...I don't feel like putting one on a diet while the other one eats dinner.
...

Sit down and talk to your girls about it individually (or leave the skinny one out all together) she if she wants to loose weight, and offer support to do so, she might be an endo-morph body type and has a harder time thinning out, thats life and will require different eating and excersize styles than say an extomorph (sounds like your other daughter)

dumb_blondes_rock

I think the OP was way off when they say "they don't love their children" because a lot of obese people equate love with food. Their child complains that they want chocolate cake, will cry about it or whatever, and they feel bad that the child is suffereing from lack of sweets, so they give in a give them the cake. Its extremely tough when the parents are obese, because the children learn their habits. Should the children be taken away? HELLL NOOOO!!!! Being fat is the lesser of two evils than foster care where they could get molested/beat/starved because some foster parents only accept children to pay for their drugs/alcohol. I do think that the government should have a free fat camp for low income families and a low cost fat camp for those who are middle class, and while the child attends fat camp, then the parents must attend nutrition and health classes, so when the child comes home they don't slip back into old habits the parents set in. And they should ALWAYS have a free nutrution class, maybe even a cooking course, so the parent and maybe even child can attend together and actually get hands on experience.

ohwhataday

There is no proof the the child would be better off. Ever seen the foster care program?

I'm not adopted but I am well aware of the things people/kids go through in Foster Care.. and not everyone is as 'nice' as they appear to be to social workers.

LJSpady

I feel like obese children are the result of lazy parenting. It's almost child abuse in my eyes, having the child be so unhealthy. And to think of the hard life they will have. Parents should try to raise healthy kids. But unfortunately so many people/parents are not healthy themselves. They don't care. And they don't care about their child's health either.

How can you make such a blanket statement like that? Living a healthy lifestyle and raising children is very difficult. Sometimes people make poor choices, but that doesn't mean they don't care about their children's health. Or their own. People need educating, not punishing.

Ashley_Panda

Wow okay, when I was two years old I looked like I was five because I was so overweight. Do you honestly think my parents were shoving McDonald's and unhealthy food down my throat at two? If you do you're outside your mind. There are a million factors that can contribute to being overweight/obese. You are terribly uneducated and it's just plain sad.

What's next you want to take my son away because he's Deaf and we don't make him wear hearing aids?

Melroxsox

ALthough on the flip side...if the child gets taken away from their parents at a young age they might slip into a deep form of depression and actually get more obese. They might end up with sever mental health problems. I think that the whole family needs to be rehabilitated TOGETHER rather than ripping families apart. This could be a horrible chain reactive type of problem either way unless the family unit all decide to get help together. That would include counseling and healthy lifestyles of course. With regular frequent check ins. Just a thought.

Becky1971

I definitely think the state needs to step in. I don't feel they should necessarily take the children right away, but I think a case opened and a plan set in motion to be sure that parents are educated and start doing what needs to be done. There are not enough foster homes as it is, and kids living with drugs get left in the dust. But definitely something needs to be done. I can't even tell you how many Five year olds I have seen in classrooms that are as round as they are tall, it is HEARTBREAKING!

ckmama

Also what about children who break bones by skating and falling? Obviously they have neglectful parents. What about children who are fed poor nutrition, but not a lot of it? That's still not healthy. Parents that smoke in the house? They shouldn't have children either.

Now while all of these are obviously harmful to children, that isn't what's being disagreed upon. It's that anyone thinking taking children away from their parents is somehow a good alternative for any problem. Also, this bull**** of blaming the individual instead of taking into consideration the plethora of environmental factors that can play a difference.

Oh and include women who don't breastfeed or parents who take their children to daycare to get sick all the time, the nerve.

GAWD how I wish I was single and childless, it would make it so much easier to remember everything wrong with people who had kids. NOT.

♥Faerie♥

Wow okay, when I was two years old I looked like I was five because I was so overweight. Do you honestly think my parents were shoving McDonald's and unhealthy food down my throat at two? If you do you're outside your mind. There are a million factors that can contribute to being overweight/obese. You are terribly uneducated and it's just plain sad.

What's next you want to take my son away because he's Deaf and we don't make him wear hearing aids?

You are perfect.............that is all.....

RoadDog

Some people are pretty quick to make a rash judgement here.

Maybe we should come down on the Grocery industry, because it is more expensive to provide healthy foods than it is to provide packaged starchy foods. Some families are doing all they can do to priovide for their families but can't afford the healthier alternatives.

My point is this. Every situation is different. There is no formula for 100% effective evaluation.

If someone decides to take my children away, don't bring a scale. Bring a platoon of Marines and automatic weapons.

Keep the Government out of my Home!