Getting On My Soapbox...

It must just be me. But, more and more these days, I have been noticing that girls and boys are more worried about their weight than ever. Which behooves me. When I was a teenager, I ate a double cheeseburger every day before band practice. And I could have cared less about healthy eating. Now, don't get me wrong. Kids thinking about what they eat and making healthy choices is one thing. That is a wonderful thing. But, when girls who look beautiful as they are say that they "need to lose 10, 20, 30" lbs is ridiculous! I'm sorry, but when you are a teenager, you're metabolism is usually off the charts. And especially boys, they eat everything that isn't nailed down. (I had 2 brothers. I wonder how my parents afforded to feed them!) They shouldn't be counting calories and trying to lose weight. And when I hear parents telling their children they are fat just astound me! How is that helping children with their self image and acceptance of themselves? When my daughters' friends and even Bubby's and he's only 10, come in my house, I have a rules. 1 rule is "You are too skinny" and the other is "You need to eat." I would much rather have a generation of girls that are healthy looking and happy with full bellies than skinny, bony girls who are worried about fitting into a size 2. I think all of us as mothers need to stand up to these Hollywood stereotypes that these children have gotten into their heads! Start a movement for teenagers to eat! This is a problem that really worries me because I have seen girls go to extremes to be skinny. And it's sad and should be stopped. Who's with me on my crusade to feed the teenagers?? OK, I'm off my soapbox now.