[Latchkey Princess]

I wish my parents had been there. For the first 6-7 years of my life I was a fit kid (never skinny, but I wasn't overweight, just muscular and sporty). My mom stayed at home with us kids and cooked our meals and we played outside and would go to the park all the time (my dad has never been home, he first worked as a traveling computer repairman and then worked midnights so we never saw him anyway). We moved when I was in 3rd grade, my mom got a job and now neither of my parents was home. Nobody cooked anymore, and as kids it's easy to microwave a hot pocket or two for dinner and not so easy to make chicken and spinach when you're not old enough to use the stove. We moved to a bad neighborhood and weren't allowed to go outside to play unless my parents were home, which was hardly ever. We also moved close to my mom's family (with whom I never fit in, which was another issue) and they did everything around food. We were now celebrating everything imaginable with HUGE spreads of junk foods. I also learned to drown my sorrows in bowls and bowls of midnight ice cream, something I'd never done before we moved.
I also wish my mom hadn't lied to me. At 14 years old, 5'4" and 175lbs, it was no longer just "baby fat" that I was going to "grow out of". She never took my concerns about my weight or image seriously, just told me I'd grow out of it in a year or two, that it wasn't that bad. So I resorted to unhealthy measures and everything just got worse.
Really I can't say either of those things would have stopped me from being the overweight individual I am today, but I think maybe they would have helped.

[alineloves]

Just being an example. And not making me feel guilty for being fat

[flower123]

Good question. I am sorry people experienced this. I wish my parents had not made fun of and critized me. I was not obesse. Both my parents despised any amount of extra fat. So that was one way I was taught each day to reject and despise myself. Now these thought patterns about myself are mine to heal...lor not. I fully accept this responsibility. Although I have yet to figure out how to turn the thoughts around. I ended up with body dysmorphia. Each time I see my mother I starve for weeks prior. Even though I no longer am overweight. And that's the least of it. If a parent rejects their child's body, it teaches the child to reject him or herself.

[desiresdestiny]

I wish my parents had healthy snacks available after school rather than doughnuts and such. I carried about 10-15lbs more on my frame. My parents didn’t know how to help me when I gained some puberty weight and some comments were very hurtful like “do you need that extra piece of chicken?” Or” you are hungry again?”

Meanwhile my mom was bingeing on chocolate bars from stress...go figure. Once I went to college my bingeing got worse as I started dealing with childhood trauma issues that finally came up and as I dealt with it the bingeing when down.