Parents’ Performance…

This is for all the parents out there. Do you have a fat kid? Does your kid just sit around and watch TV after school? When the family goes out to eat, does your kid look at the menu and say, “okay”? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. There’s plenty of other parents that have fat children too. As a matter of fact, about 20% of the children in this country are overweight. And it’s only getting worse. It’s been said (I forget by whom) that this generation may just be the first generation to NOT outlive their parents…Isn’t that nice?!?!

Chances are that if your kid is fat, you probably are too. Like anything else, it always goes back to the parents. It’s parents’ performance that initially shapes a youth’s mind. If you sit on the couch for hours on end and eat potato chips and ring dings while the button on your jeans is screaming to release some pressure, you’re kid will inherit that same talent. Therefore, you should really lead by a good example. Go out and be active, put down the cheese doodles and take a walk….and take your kid with you. Have you ever taught your kid how to throw a baseball? Now’s a good time to play some catch with him and actually tell him that kids used to play outside! How about you get in shape yourself. Buy a treadmill and some free weights and tell your kid that you’re sick of not being able to fit through a doorway. If that’s too strenuous for ya, at least teach your kid about physical activity and enroll him into sports. Believe me, when you have a heart attack at 50, he’ll thank you for it.

If you don’t know what can happen to an overweight kid, here’s some stuff to get you started, consider it a reference of sorts:

- childhood obesity is the leading cause of pediatric hypertension

- childhood obesity is associated with Type II diabetes

- childhood obesity increases the risk of coronary heart disease

- childhood obesity increases stress on the weight-bearing joints

There’s also psychological factors too, like a drop in self – esteem and poor relationships with peers. What this means is that your fat kid goes to school everyday and gets picked on by kids specifically for being fat. They call him “jellyroll”, “tons-of-fun” and “Fatty McButterpants”. In turn, your kid is now thinking he’s worthless and feels lower than whale crap. Who wants to deal with a suicidal 10 year – old? In some cases, it also leads to anorexia.

I’m not saying go out a purchase a treadmill and weights for him, that’s for you. Instead, get him active! Get him away from the Playstation, the after – school cartoons and the four cans of soda a night. Have him join a football league, a baseball league. Instead of feeding his face with fatty junk food, have him eat fruit and drink water. Also, like I said, lead by example. Kids aren’t going to take you all that seriously if you don’t do it yourself. That “Do what I say, not as I do” crap doesn’t work. Stop making excuses for your child (ie. “You’re not fat, your big – boned…”, “You’re just a growing boy, don’t mind those Husky pants we just had to buy”, “It’s just baby fat…”) and tell him to go outside and run around. Let me tell you, the thinner he gets the less he’ll be coming home from school with an “Oversized Load” post – it on his back.