As kids, when we received a letter from school addressed to our parents, we basically took that as being addressed to us. We would sneakily open the envelope and decide whether or not to show our parents. Imagine eagerly and mischievously opening up a letter from school, only to find out you’re classified as ‘overweight?’ Now imagine reading that at the very impressionable age of nine.
This was the case for one nine year old at PS-29, Gwendolyn Williams. As her mom was tucking her in one night she told her mom, “The school told me I was fat. Is this what they meant?” she asked as she jiggled her thighs.
There are two major problems with this scenario. The first being, why are we fat-shaming? It has become prevalent in our society. But, reality fat-shaming doesn’t make us any slimmer or any fuller. Does bringing someone’s insecurities to light, leaving him or her on the brink of developing eating disorder tendencies provide us a sense of accomplishment? Have we really stooped so low as a society that we’re labeling children based on their weight? People don’t realize the power behind their words. Be sensitive with your tongue. Unlike physical wounds, emotional scars last forever. Words and labels forever get branded in the back of our minds and we find ourselves unable to forget them once they’re uttered.
The second major problem is: is it the kids fault that a typical school lunch consists of: pizza (fat), chicken nuggets and french fries (fat), whole milk (fat), or mozzarella sticks (fat)? Are they expected to know better regarding nutrition? How could they if they were never taught? Most adults still don’t know the proper nutrients that are required for their body. With the rise of fad diets, the confusion has gotten even worse. Instead of passing out the label and responsibility onto the parents’ shoulders, why doesn’t the board of education mandate nutrition class in elementary and middle schools? I think it would help us as a nation immensely. It’s not that people don’t care about nutrition; it’s just that they were never taught.
Kids should be taught that exercise is not a chore, but is fun! It’s important that parents have their kids get out and play for at least an hour a day. An hour away from video games and social media do well for the mind and body. The old ‘you can’t leave the table until you finish your plate’ rule is out the window. This leaves kids out of touch with their bodies and unable to distinguish when they’re hungry, and the ability to distinguish when they are full. Junk food should not be completely out, but enjoyed in moderation. Trying to eliminate it completely can lead to binging, and that’s not healthy, either.
As kids get older, their parents should teach them about nutrition labels and how to read and understand them. But make it so it is a life lesson, not something they obsess over. This is what can lead to eating disorder tendencies. It is a sensitive subject, as kids are very impressionable and must be handled very carefully.
Source: http://nypost.com/2014/05/22/nyc-says-this-girl-is-fat/