When my family and I were camping last weekend, we took time out from roughing it to head into the town of Ocean Shores to hit the water park, find some souvenirs and of course, visit our favorite ice cream parlor for a cone. As we waited in line (and it was a long one due to the unusual 90 degree weather we’re experiencing in Washington) I noticed a family in front of us getting their goods. The mother and father were overweight. Their one child who looked to be about the same age as mine (5) still looked to be carrying some “baby fat” in contrast to their other child, a little girl of about 10 who was probably 4′10″ and close to 150 pounds–absolutely obese. Her tiny head almost looked like a cartoon sitting on top of her giant frame. As I watched them receiving their order I was dazzled by the giant chocolate dipped waffle cone and double dip in the 10 year olds hands.
As you can tell already, this is not going to be the most politically correct post I’ve ever written.
As we got our ice cream and headed out to the go cart tracks this feeling stuck with me. The notion of how unfair it was to be subjecting this child to a life of unpleasantness, health risks, teasing and hazing all because neither of her parents could help this child exercise a modicum of control. I grant you, I’m not perfect and I’m not great at consistency. I would never in a million years, (if I did have a child who was overweight) deny them ice cream on a hot, family outing but did it have to be a double dip? I looked at her thinking at 10 her chance at normal life is over.
I have never been overweight. I have to be honest about that because I truly don’t know what it’s like. I have always maintained a rather regular weight without much fluctuation. I did have a bout with Bulimia in my youth which I chalk up to the pressures of having been a dancer. But, I have to believe that if I had a child with this type of medical condition, just the same as if the child had an allergy, asthma or any other ailment I can assure you I wouldn’t be making her run laps. We are the parents and we have to be willing to have our decisions be unpopular with our children. We are the one’s who are charged with doing what’s best for them and helping them make healthy choices is part of that. Honestly, I wanted to say something which of course I never would but this feeling still sticks with me. Would I want someone to say something to me? Would you?
Posted on July 30th, 2006 by Sam
Filed under: Uncategorized
Sam,
You’ve touched on one of my biggest pet peeves, which is probably a mis-nomer given the severity of the issue. There is nothing that bothers me more than I sight like the one that you described.
I am a firm believer in personal responsibility and, by extension, parental responsibility. Maintaining your weight and your health and the health of your family falls squarely in that realm.
But recently I’ve been paying alot of attention to the eating disorder that exists throughout the population of the United States. The industrialization of food plays a large role in the choices (most of them bad) that we face when we’re hungry. I highly reccommend The Omnivore’s Dilema (http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php). It’s an enlightening look at where our food comes from.