Calling All Parents!

[stregadelsol]

EDIT: I did NOT mean to say I thought this was the gospel. I mean to say, there is not enough emphasis on this particular topic, and if you find one of the 10 that speaks to you that you know you'd like to focus on, then it was worth posting this

Comments

[stregadelsol]

I'm not saying that kids should be brought up as delusional body image and health food psychos. I am saying that we need to be realistic and encouraging with them. If you want rocky road, here or at Suzy's, knock yourself out. Just ask yourself if you really want the whole pint in one sitting or not. Encourage to slow down the thought process and not mindlessly eat. Hell, there are places in time and space when an entire pint of rocky road in one sitting could be just the ticket.

I can't image a day when I purposefully point out a Kate Moss and Lindsay Lohan and say, randomly, wow she looks unhealthy. Well, maybe I would. They DO look unhealthy. If Eva started to mention these people as role models, you better believe I would talk to her about how those bodies are thiers, that not everyone looks like that - their lifestyles are much different, they have different pressures to live up to and lots of people to help them achieve those, and lots of time to do it in. Both of those people have both admitted to eating disorders and drug addiction. I won't, in any way shape or form, in the interest of political correctness, tell her that those things are no problem. They are a horrible struggle. Doesn't mean I would encourage her to call them Cassie Crack Addict or anything. Everyone has their stuff that they struggle with, some just do it in the public eye. But I won't normalize that at the detriment of my daughter.

Education and realism are important, not character assasination, be it about fat or skinny or whatever. Kids already pick on the skinny kids too. Everyone gets picked on for whatever they have or do that is "different."

[mhaithaca]

This is why I kind of like the "cookie is a sometimes food" development on "Sesame Street" last year. I see it as cute and appropriate, rather than excessively PC, as long as they don't get carried away.

Your "Cassie Crack Addict" point helps, thanks. Kids can see people with a drug problem as people with a problem, rather than as bad people. The same is true for unhealthily thin or fat people, and none of the above makes it OK to tease or taunt them.

[stregadelsol]

Oh my god, I am way to PMS-y to go any further with this. What is interesting is that after I've read your responses, I've been like, "yeah, that's what I was saying!!" I've never been a big fan of communicating electronically for big involved discussions, they never seem to go very.....efficiently? effectively?

Either way, this is the most in-depth conversation I've had with an adult about an actual topic in like, a LONG time. Longer than I care to admit. I appreciated it. Even though sesame street snuck in there, it was for a good cause.