Weight Problems:The Next Generation

toggerr

I am a recovering useless parent. I am sad and quite ashamed to say that in the years that my daughter needed me to be there to teach her, to love her, and to help her grow up I not only failed, I didn't even show up to try for the most part. I was so consumed by the problems of my life that I was quite literally blind to all that went on around me.

The past however is forever just that; despite how much I might wish differently there is no going back to try again, no undoing of the harm my absence caused her.

Fortunately over time I was finally able to overcome that which plagued me and it allowed me a chance try to repair my relationship with my daughter; a goal that is very important to me.

My daughter is now an adult, she has grown into an amazing woman. There are no suitable words that come to me to express the pride I have in her.

Much like me she struggles with the same weight problems I have. Like I was at her age she is ridiculed regularly for this, something many of us are all too familiar with. "You are way too fat!", or "How can you stand to look like that!?" are common insults hurled at her by others, even in our own family. Perhaps these comments are made in some twisted attempt at motivation; but we all know all it does is tear her down further and further. If she is like me those words probably echo in her ears every day.

Even at the young age of 21 her health is being affected by her weight problem, her self esteem is being shredded and her hope for beating this is frighteningly dim.

What can I do to save her? It's too late for the band-aid on the knee, and the kiss on the forehead to help make her feel better.

She is my child, and I will do anything to help her. I will do my best to teach her the things I have learned which helped me. I will cheer her on through every success and comfort her through any set back. More than anything else I intend to tell her every day how very proud I am of her and how very much I love her.

I pray that these efforts might be enough to inspire her to once again love herself and transform her life.

I was a useless parent; but I will never ever be useless again.