It took a minute for me to digest this statement in my head. My "nearly six" year old daughter thinks she will get fat if she eats her dinner. My daughter, who is so slight, so thin, thinks she will get fat. My daughter who is ONLY "nearly six" thinks about body issues. MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MY BRAIN HURTS!!!!!
"Honey, if you eat what you are supposed to eat you will be healthy," is the only thing I can come up with at the time. "You don't have to worry about being fat," I say reassuringly.
"Yeah, I don't want to be fat!"
My heart dies a bit inside. Yes, I don't want her to ever be fat either, but she shouldn't worry about this stuff, not when she is "nearly six". I have struggled with my weight since adolescence. I know how cruel kids can be. However, I have taken care not to ever bring my issues up in front of my daughter. I don't call myself fat in front of her, not even jokingly. In fact, I just don't use the "F" word ever. Fat just isn't in my vocabulary.
"Please don't worry about this. You just eat whatever you like, you're not fat. In fact, you are quite thin, but you don't want to be too skinny. Just please, don't worry about these things,"
"Yeah, I don't want to be too skinny or too fat. I want to be just right! When will I be just right? When I am older??"
"Baby, you are already perfect just the way you are."
She is my perfect "nearly six" year old.
