La La Land Mommy: They Eat! Thank You Very Much!
Nishe’ and Tyler have always been on the small side. They were considered small at birth. One was 6lbs 12oz and the other was 6lb 10oz. I wasn’t surprised. I was born on the small side. At birth I weighed 5lbs 3oz. My mom always tells me about the steak diet that I kept her on. When I was growing up I got called many names. Stick, skeleton, stringbean, and many others. I was the bud of many jokes or joning as it is called. Let’s see I was so skinny I can hula-hoop through a cheerio and I am so skinny that I can hide behind a tree during hide and seek (this one I actually did. Took them a minute to actually find me too.). I have listened to people up until I actually started gaining weight after having kids tell me that I need to eat. Now they hint that I need to stop eating. Which is a whole different story in itself. I am amazed that this didn’t cause me to develop any disorders but it did cause me to be sensitive when it comes to my kids. There have been a number of times when someone have looked at my kids and then told me that they need to eat. I’ve been hearing this all their lives. If only they knew the truth. The most recent was when Nishe’ and I visited a well known department store. The person was trying to make small talk but I quickly got annoyed after he asked Nishe’ how old she was. When he found out she is fifteen he looked at her and said “Wow! You need to eat!” I was not happy with this at all. But at the same time I was proud of my baby because while the mama bear in me was fighting to get out she brushed the man’s comment off like it wasn’t anything. I asked her how she felt about what he said later. She said she didn’t feel anything because she knew the truth that she does eat. In that very moment I was proud of the job that The Husband and I have been doing in building our children’s confidence and self-esteem. She knew that it didn’t matter what anyone said that her body was her body and that she was made the way she was meant to be made.
It also made me sad because I know that not all kids are like her and can’t let stupid comments such as the one this man made roll off their backs. Some kids comments like that can cause issues. They will remember it for the rest of their lives and it will affect them. I just wish that people would watch what they say to people in general but especially children. You will never know how children will be affected by your words.
I still have issues with this to this very day. And this is after having three kids. I have always been the skinny kid. The skinny teenager. And the skinny adult. Yet, I’ll eat a hole through your pantry! People feel that skinny shaming doesn’t affect others the way fat shaming does. It’s good to hear that your daughter has the confidence that she has. I didn’t and still battle with it in my adult life. And it’s not so much as others trying to make us feel bad. Many just feel it’s harmless or even a compliment. I guess it depends on the person they’re referring to. I was that person that it bothered. A lot!
Yes! It is crazy. People don’t think about what they say. Kids can be cruel but adults can be far worse than kids cause they understand more what they are saying than kids do.