Thursday's topic of discussion. Dieting with children.

I have so much to say on this subject.  I was just talking to my co-worker on Monday I believe about this very issue.  I call her Momma Henri.  She can't technically be my mother in anyway shape or form, but she gives the best motherly advice.  I even introduce her and Momma Henri. 

Anyways, I had my fill and I got my daughters some corndogs and me some soft serve ice cream.  My oldest who just turned 3 last weekend asks me if it is Diet.  I say yes of course.  I will go so far as to say she has no idea what a diet is.  However, she does know that I had surgery on my belly.  She has no idea why whatsoever.  She has never said I am fat.  She has said she wants a big "pansa" / belly like me.  Pansa is a term for belly in Spanish.  She has no idea what she is talking about. 

Because my girls are adopted I know that they have my genetics.  They also have their biological mother's genetics too and she is petite and fairly thin. My brother is about 5'11'' and weighs about 200 probably.  Not fat and not thin.  My mom was a big lady as I was growing up.  I remember when she lost weight and got her first pair of 501 Levis on in the 1980's sometime.  I believe she graduated high school at about 180.  I graduated high school at 141.  I was never the thin girl and of course I always thought I was fat.  I was just the bigger girl.  My girls have some bad genetics just by being who they are.  I ballooned to 323 pounds.  That is my heaviest recorded weight.  I could have been higher, I couldn't tell you honestly because I wouldn't get on the scale unless it was at a doctors office.  

I have from day one of having my girls watched their sugar intake.  Avoided fast food.  That isn't the case so much now.  We probably average about once every two weeks or so for fast food.  The only time they had candy was if my friend Kim would give it to them.  I have constantly worried that they would be fat.  Leeah, my oldest is a big girl.  She will more than likely be built bigger than her friends.  She is currently 43 lbs and 43 inches and is 3 years old.  She is big, I do not consider her fat in any way.  She has always been at around 90%  on the growth chart.  Kaylee has been hovering around 19% on the growth chart.  I call her my runt and she literally is. 

Once I started my pre-op diet I used the word "DIET".  Leeah of course would ask if my food was diet because that is what I said. I would occasionally give her tastes of my "diet" food.  Kaylee loves anything.  Leeah is a picky eater. 

Sooo, back to the ice cream.  I lied and told Leeah it was diet.  It wasn't.  I told her I had a little "surgery" today and I need it to make my pansa big.  Again, she says she wants a big pansa.  I am sure she doesn't understand and to explain it to a 3 year old is hard. 

Sooo, back to Momma Henri, I was telling her the gist of my diet conversation with Leeah and how I do not want her to think that life is a diet.  I want her to enjoy her life and be happy of who she is.  On the same hand, I will also say I am glad I wasn't a fat kid in school.  It doesn't matter that I thought I was, I wasn't teased or harassed.  I was fortunate.  Granted when I was a kid I would get a snack upon getting out of school.  My grandma would most likely make us a quesadilla.  I would later have dinner too.  I was one of those kids that was outside til the sun went down and was always active.  I want the same for my children.  However, I have been starting to worry about what my dieting is doing to my children.  Momma Henri suggested I tell them that we are eating "healthy".  I think that says it all. 

I am done with lunch and will post more later. 

I need suggestions and advice on how to handle dieting with children.  I don't want them to feel that it is a way of life and the only way they will be happy is if they are thin. 

Love ya all!

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