Quote:
Originally Posted by Gamecockgrrl
I am most heartbroken by the attitude most of the kids have of "I can't do that..." The weight is bad enough, but that attitude is so much worse. And as a parent myself, I hate to admit it, but I find myself blaming the parents a lot. I know I shouldn't, but I do...especially Tanisha. I know it's wrong to judge people without knowing the full story, but I can't help it.
I feel bad about doing that, too. But really, the fact of the matter is that kids do what they learn, and I don't think there's much question that most very obese kids have learned to be that way from their role models. The sad thing is that most of the time, the parents don't realize what they are doing because it's what THEY learned, etc. Hopefully these kids will be able to break the cycle in their families and go on to be able to teach their kids what they are learning. Heck, maybe some of them will even be successful at teaching their parents and other family members healthier habits now!
I am a mom, too. My daughter is right around the corner from puberty, and that's the age where most of the girls in my family start to "plump up". As much as it breaks my heart, if my daughter starts to gain a lot of weight in the next few years, I will have no choice but to look in the mirror and ask myself what I have taught her. I am doing better now, and I'm hoping my example (the healthy meals I'm preparing, being more active as a family, etc) will nip it in the bud. I ask myself every day if it's going to be too little too late. But I'm hopeful!