Sunday, June 6, 2010

I Do Not Think This Is About What You Think It's About

Bling writes:

My sister-in-law feeds her kids completely unhealthy things. McDonald's, Chinese takeout, burgers from the diner, you name it. They often refuse to eat what she cooks, so she goes and buys them what they DO want because she's afraid they'll starve. The doctor told her that the youngest kid is slightly overweight, and she goes on and on about how cute his "little fat butt" is, and how he's gotten so big that none of the kid-sized shorts fit him in the stores. Is there a way to tell her that maybe their eating habits are why the kid is growing wider faster than he's growing taller? He's 6.

So...what you want me to tell you is a good way to tell your sister she's a total moron?

Look, I'm pretty sure no one in the world thinks fast food is healthy. She knows what she's feeding her children is not ideal; she doesn't care. The incentive of not having to deal with whiny kids is greater for her than the incentive of providing them a healthy start in life. I'd bet actual cash money that she's not parenting well in any other arena, either: why does this one thing bother you so much that you feel the need to comment on it? Have you commented on any of her other parenting missteps?

They're her kids, not yours. Unless you want to prove to the courts that she's an unfit mother and take the children from her, this is none of your business. Period. The best you can do is provide healthy choices for the kids when they're in your care. You may be able to plant the idea in them that taking care of our bodies by fueling them well and moving for the joy of it really does feel better than loading up on junk and camping in front of the TV, but don't get your hopes up.

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