For those of you afraid of having an overweight child, let me reassure you for a few minutes.
I am one of those people who never worried about my weight until I had children. I could eat whatever I wanted and stayed thin. Even now, I think I am lighter than I "deserve" to be for the amount of food that I
used to eat (yesterday excepting
) DH grew up with an overweight mother and he was overweight until high school football. His dad died of a heart condition at the age of 36 and his brother died in a tractor accident at the age of 16 (both were reed thin). DH's mom and her side of the family are all roly-poly people. DH rapidly gained weight after we were married due to his sedentary profession, but lost 50 pounds 2 years ago counting calories and running. He still watches everything he eats. I say this to say that we have not been parents who have sat around with bags of chips, candy, and wall-to-wall fried food in our house.
My oldest DD put on weight rapidly as a baby - nothing obscene though. She was (and is) darling with dark hair, fair skin, and deep blue eyes. She just has always adored food. I remember when she was 4, I was cleaning her room and found a half eaten stick of butter in her closet! She seemed to gravitate to potatoes and starchy foods. Her grandmother (DH mom) is the
exact same way. I visited with our pediatrician in Houston when she was 7 (I had 2 other children by this time, both very skinny active kids). We have modified her diet, encouraged exercise, everything that was recommended.
Although she has always been overweight, she has also always been very popular. Beginning in 5th grade, she has never had a year that she wasn't in Student Council. Before we moved to West Texas, she not only won the VP Student Council spot for her 8th grade class (115 in the class) but also made Junior High Mascot. Regrettably, we moved to West Texas before she was able to cheer at a game. She has been in One Act Play, plays tennis and is in the band and has a darling boyfriend. She is truly the kindest and sweetest person anyone would ever know.
From the time she could sit up, I noticed that she just didn't like to move. She was always happy sitting on the floor with a basket full of toys while my son and other daughter were little whirlwinds of activity.
I personally think that she just has a slower metabolism. It is something she was born with and it is something that she will always have to work with. She and I have talked at length about it. Some people have diabetes or other physical conditions that affect their daily lives. This is hers.
Our prayer is that LAWL will give her the tools to help her manage this for life.
As for the cruelty of others, we haven't really experienced that. Once, when she was 4, she got in trouble at church for punching a new little boy in the stomach. He wanted one of the boys playing with DD to play with him and said, "Why would you want to play with a fat girl." So, she punched him.
The only other remark was at church camp in 6th grade when a boy from another church made an ugly comment about her. She didn't have to say anything - her entire church group went into an uproar for her and the other church group was forced to punish the offender. They even came to me to apologize. As I write this, it is interesting that both instances were at church where you think you'd be safe!
I say this to reassure all of you who are worried about this. I know firsthand how it feels to be the parent of an overweight child. While I have had your same concerns - in fact, I couldn't understand it because my other two children were always "slims" rather than "husky" - I realize now that it wasn't something that we
did or didn't do . She has a predisposition to gaining weight easily and is attracted to starchy foods that excacerbate her problem.
Still, it is not the horror you think it might be. My DD is delightful and the light of my life. She doesn't live a life of daily ridicule and is not hampered in her activities. Her father and I couldn't be more proud of her.
Andi
Did you ever watch the Nanny? Sounds like she visited your house as she has had to teach parents to follow through on punishments and some parents feel like they are being so mean, they can't do it. Usually the Mom, which I totally understand. Reminds me of a time when my nephew was about 2 years old, I was babysitting and it was his bed time. He was spending the night at my house. I was told he'd cry a little but he'd go to sleep. Well, I checked in on him, and he looked so sad and was standing with his arms up, I started to cry and had to pick him up and rock him to sleep. DH said I should have given it a few more minutes, but why? He wasn't bothering me being up, and how could I be that mean to a little guy like that? I can still see that little face looking at me (he's now 11 years old now). 
Very well said !!
hope I keep remembering and catch up
!!!
