Brief Rant on Overweight Kids....You've Been Warned....

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peanut613
peanut613 Posts: 438 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've read on the forums a few times where people discuss childhood obesity. Yes, it's a big problem in our country.

BUT, I hate hearing people call kids fat, porkers, etc. Yes, children need to be educated on eating better, school meals should be healthier, and parents need to be more aware of what they feed their children. But what about the emotional damage these kids go through hearing people call them fat? It's bad enough that other kids at school will teast them. But I've seen parents on this site and others calling their children fat! What the heck is going on with people?!

When I was in middle school, I hit that growth spurt where your height and weight don't match and I was short and fat. Eventually my height spurted too, but at the time I was a chunky girl. I overheard my grandparents, who I loved dearly, talking to my parents about my weight. It crushed me. Now that I'm a mother, I am very protective of my daughter. My mother in law said my daughter was chunky and I flipped out! She was about a year old at the time and has always been at the top of the charts in height and weight, but they're porportional. She's in the 117th percentile for her height for crying out loud! (My husband is 6'6" so she gets it from him, not shortie me lol).

I just hate when parents and grandparents are so negative of children. I'm not saying their health isn't important by any means. They NEED to be eating well and exercising. But to the parents who have called their children fat, plump, chunky, chubby, etc or who condone others saying those things, you should be ashamed of yourselves! We need a POSITIVE attitude if we expect to change childhood obesity without crushing childrens' self esteem...

End rant.
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Replies

  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    I totally agree with you. Kids are cruel. Kids tease about anything and everything - a child dealing with weight issues doesn't need to hear adults discussing their weight too.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
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    4 Words:

    Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

    If you have not seen it check out the first 2 seasons. You should be able to watch it for free online. The best takeaways are the families that cook together and where the kids learn how to cook too.
  • Caldwellsa24
    Caldwellsa24 Posts: 15 Member
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    I agree.
  • kylielouttit
    kylielouttit Posts: 512 Member
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    I am so aware of this. My mother was really hurtful in this regard and we don't have anything to do with eachother anymore. She used to make comments about my belly ALL THE TIME. Ugh, I'm angry just thinking about it. I was never "overweight" but I carry all my fat in my tummy.

    :(

    I have a daughter who is 22 months and I sometimes call her legs "chubby" and I should stop. I mean it as a term of endearment but I think they are fricken adorable, but the word itself is not nice. I love my girl dearly and I want her to grow up strong and confident!
  • moushtie
    moushtie Posts: 371 Member
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    I agree. A friend of mine just had a letter from the NHS (via the school nurse) to inform her that her 5 year old was overweight, and she should maybe discuss this with her child. It seems like even authorities are labelling children as fat at an early age...

    The girl in question is very active, you can't stop her moving long enough to put food in her mouth half the time! And why on earth would you burden a 5 yr old with diet worries? At that age, it really is the parent's duty to set the standards.
  • ohwhataday
    ohwhataday Posts: 1,398 Member
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    4 Words:

    Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

    If you have not seen it check out the first 2 seasons. You should be able to watch it for free online. The best takeaways are the families that cook together and where the kids learn how to cook too.

    I love that show.
  • ak_in_ak
    ak_in_ak Posts: 657 Member
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    I can think of so many times my grandfather sitting me down to talk about my weight. When I think back on it, he was trying to help but it was terrible. Did her really think I wanted to be like this?
  • petrulak
    petrulak Posts: 56 Member
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    totally agree with you!
  • voluptas63
    voluptas63 Posts: 602 Member
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    My stepmom calls my 9yr old sister a fat brat.

    I like to get the opportunity to remind her that she created it and she needs to be a better mother. I wish I could take my sister, but I can't. So I do what I can when I'm with her:( which includes my telling my Dad "No. She doesn't need YOUR food. She finished her own, she doesn't need yours as well. You didn't finish it, why should she finish it for you?"

    He's just blatantly ignorant of nutrition. Her mother is just a beast.
  • njean888
    njean888 Posts: 399 Member
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    At the end of the day it is the adults fault that the children are overweight to begin with but there is nothing cute about a fat child. I have 2 boys and I watch what they eat very closely. I talk to them about what's healthy and that by eating the right things they will grow to be strong. They see me workout every morning and they see their father workout at night. If my children were ever fat it would be my fault not theirs.
  • FaugHorn
    FaugHorn Posts: 1,060 Member
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    Yep, just talk about it out of earshot, hopefully if the parents have noticed enough to talk about it then they're talking about ways to help the kid fix the issues and get healthy...maybe use a new word like "fluffy" so the kid doesn't know what you're talking about...
  • lgwmab
    lgwmab Posts: 274 Member
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    You have a great point! My niece in in the upper percentile as well, at 9 months old she is wearing 12 months for clothes! I love her so much, I call her my little chuncky monkey, and tell her, no one can say your fat, your healthy. I know she doesn't understand. When my parents or sister call her a pudger, I say she's going to take after her auntie!

    My nephew is tall, and skinny, and a picky eater, my niece, if it's food that can go in her mouth, she wants it, if you don't feed her fast enough she grunts at you. I know what you mean about school, and kids being mean, I went thru the same thing, in High School, and up untill 21 years old I was 5'2", and 140, I was the pudgie kid you got picked on, and now I am 5'2" and at this point 160.5, I still have my sister call me fat, and she taught my nephew to say I have a "dookie booty" to her it's not a bad thing, but to me, at 30, it's still hurtful. Thank God I have my fiancee who has been great to me, supportive with my weight loss goals, and thinks I'm beutiful as is. Personally I can't wait to be 120, and look the best I can for me, and him.
  • peanut613
    peanut613 Posts: 438 Member
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    My stepmom calls my 9yr old sister a fat brat.

    I like to get the opportunity to remind her that she created it and she needs to be a better mother. I wish I could take my sister, but I can't. So I do what I can when I'm with her:( which includes my telling my Dad "No. She doesn't need YOUR food. She finished her own, she doesn't need yours as well. You didn't finish it, why should she finish it for you?"

    He's just blatantly ignorant of nutrition. Her mother is just a beast.

    That's horrible! Good for you for trying to stick up for her. I hope you find a way to help :( What a tough spot.
  • Kathy_Noring
    Kathy_Noring Posts: 143 Member
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    Yes, my mom and grandparents were very damaging to my self-esteem growing up and I wasn't even overweight, but rather more of an athletic build. I've never done that to my children and I never would. One of my kids is naturally slim and the other struggles more with her weight, but I've never told her she's anything but beautiful (and she is!). Of course I've always provided her with healthful food options and opportunities to be active. Now she's older and taking charge of her health, exercising and eating right. She's even on MFP with me!
  • childofares
    childofares Posts: 51 Member
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    I'll be honest, it never occurred to me how much damage people can do. I was a ballerina from the age of 4-16 and weight was just..there and always talked about in frank terms. Some with low self esteem developed eating problems but most of us just learned where we needed to work to slim. I don't say NOT talking to your kids is good, or telling them they are perfect is good either if they do have a weight problem. At some point ego must be sacrificed for health but I agree there is no need for derogatory terms. I however do not usually think of terms like chubby as derogatory.
  • kimi131
    kimi131 Posts: 1,058 Member
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    My sisnlaw calls my youngest nephew "Chunky Monkey." She intends it to be affectionate, but I always wonder what she is doing to the poor kid's self-esteem. He is not chunky, he is just fine. He is maybe a bit short, I don't know his height, etc., but I can tell he will grow and thin out. If anything, his older (step)brother is a bit chunky. Not sure how since he all kinds of sports, but he perhaps picked up his mother's poor eating habits. None of us say anything to him about his "chunk." He's only 9, for cryin' out loud, and his brother "chunky monkey" is only 8.
  • peanut613
    peanut613 Posts: 438 Member
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    Yes, my mom and grandparents were very damaging to my self-esteem growing up and I wasn't even overweight, but rather more of an athletic build. I've never done that to my children and I never would. One of my kids is naturally slim and the other struggles more with her weight, but I've never told her she's anything but beautiful (and she is!). Of course I've always provided her with healthful food options and opportunities to be active. Now she's older and taking charge of her health, exercising and eating right. She's even on MFP with me!

    I'm glad she's taking charge! Some people have a slower metabolism and will always have to push to maintain their weight. Reminding your daughter that she's beautiful and encouraging her is awesome!
  • GreenSkinnyJeans
    GreenSkinnyJeans Posts: 204 Member
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    In all honesty I'd rather have my mom calling me fat than telling me I work out to much, and eat like a anorexic.
    Because that nearly hurts more considering I USE to be anorexic and she didn't know, and now that I take the healthier approach she says stuff like that.
    Some kids NEED the hurtful boost to become healthy. I know I've mentioned to my mom about my barely five year old neice being 70 pounds and fat, because the kids family is eating out constantly, and she only behaving for desert and if she doesn't get it she CRIES over it.
    Heaven for bid the kids is always saying"Ketchup is healthy mommy"
    No its not. Educate your kids early, before means kids educate them for you!
    This kid is vain, it wouldn't hurt for her mom to say, next time she is crying over desert, you are heavy i think a peice of chocolate is all you need.Because this kid dresses her self and walks around the house yelling about how pretty she is, and if you don't tell her she is pretty, she cries and whines louder.
    Kids this generation. They are fat, and they are vain.
    I'm 15 and ashamed to be marked into this generaton of kids :/
  • craig1768
    craig1768 Posts: 44 Member
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    The difference here is that you care about your children's well being. I think that a majority of people with 'larger' kids either A) don't know that they are feeding them garbage or B) Don't care. I do the shopping in my house and I am surprised weekly what people buy. Call me a food snob.

    Its just plain rude and uncalled for when snide comments are made about someones weight. Especially with kids.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    The parents should be supporting their kids. Not cutting them down.

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