Oh how I wish for pouring rain.
Current mood: cynical
http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/mother-may-lose-custody-of-obese-boy/20070226180409990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001
Touchy subject warning. All sissies leave now.
Read the article and then come back here.
Do I think the child should be taken away from his mother? Maybe, if she doesn't stop being stupid. Do I think that the mom should stop keeping chocolate cereal/pizza/sausages/french fries/"snacks" in the house? Duh. Come on, lady. If there was not junk food in the house, he could not eat it. If he rampages through the house at night, looking for food, I do not see padlocks on the fridge and cupboards as being unreasonable. Or better yet, only keep healthy food around the house. if he doesn't like it, he can starve until he's hungry enough to eat it. At school, I don't think the staff would see it as a problem if you ask that he not be allowed to purchase junk food during lunch hours. He eats to feel good, he eats for comfort, so break him of the habit. You're basically saying that your 7 year old son controls you. The mother is obviously making up excuses so that she doesn't have to take responsibility. What's being said there is right- the child is slowly being killed.
People know in general that I have a big problem with people who are overweight and don't try to do anything about it. "It's my body, and I choose this. Big is beautiful." Fuck you. If you are trying to become healthy, awesome, I have absolutely no problem with you then. And it is not simply a pet peeve. They break the health care system and cost everyone else thousands of dollars. Obesity is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. They buy insurance, and they are the most likely to get sick somehow, and then insurance costs go up for everyone else. And since hospitals have to do so many charity cases a year... Well, where does THAT money come from? Taxpayers! Yay! Because the hospitals certainly don't do it for free. Health care costs are out of control right now, and one of the big reasons is that America is fat and lazy.
And I really, REALLY hate PARENTS who do not monitor their children. They let them eat twinkies and chips all day while doing NOTHING but playing video games and watching television. "Oh, but good food is so very expensive, we cannot afford it." Oh really? I guess you can afford the massive medical bills you'll be paying when your child develops diabetes. Or has a heart attack. Or a stroke. And yes, those things DO happen to children. It is a different kid of child abuse, just like that article says. It's neglect, and it's disgusting.
I do not at all advocate the body type that you see in magazines. That is just as unhealthy and stupid. But I am also getting tired of children having the whole "people come in all shapes and sizes and big is beautiful" campaign shoved on them. "Big" is unhealthy and it kills you and is very expensive. There IS a range between being anorexic and being fat. Hell, there is a good range between being perfectly physically fit and being fat that people can fit into and have minimal problems.
Now, there are obviously exceptions. There are people who have true, medical problems that make it very, very difficult to lose weight. I know one, and despite her difficulties though, she still works to be as healthy as possible. However, I've also met way too many people who claim "medical problem" and I know they are making it up. And for the record, "genetics" is not a "medical problem."
And hell, eat better and work out for the OTHER health benefits... Not because it'll make you look better. You have more energy, you feel better, etc.
http://models.com/model_culture/tales_model/crystal_renn/intro.html
This young lady is probably a good example of someone who is healthy, yet not a waif.
Oh yeah, point of story? Quit making excuses and do something about it.
Unless of course, you're willing to pay for health care costs out of pocket. Then by all means, do whatever you want.
