Fat Phobia

“Can I have a packet of juice?” three year old asked his parents.

“No, you already had one. That’s all.” Replied the parents.

“Please, can I have one more?” asked the kid again.

Mom melted and said, “okay”. Dad didn’t like that and told the three year old that he will become fat (accompanied by the hand gesture showing him how fat he will become).

I was speechless. An extra packet of juice! And that too a 3 year old who, btw, don’t show any sign of obesity. I mean, I understand if parents want to restrict food intake for kids with health problems but this was utterly and hugely disgusting.

I don’t even know where to start. It was a pack of juice, not even ice-cream or cake! He is three years old and very active kid. He burns off more calories during his daily activity (which is running around 10-12 hours a day) than we adults ever can. He is a growing child. And it’s a pack of juice!

Worst of it all: they are inducing a good amount of fat-phobia in him. That’s exactly what the dad told us when some of other protested about his behavior: “Just inducing the fear of overeating in him. Its good for him”.

In a child who doesn’t need that fear in him, he is introducing it. What they are really introducing to him is called fat-hatred. I simply cringe at the thought of the kind of person he would be when he grows up, unless he somehow outgrows his family’s influence. I hope, he does.

P.S.: The couple are big time fat-phobic people. They once told me that I need to loose weight (and become stick figures like them). And then they ask me why I haven’t contacted them in past 3 months I have been here.

They were also one of those people who attacked me because I became good friend with someone who is obese. Actually whenever I mention anything about her, their first comment is usually: “She is so fat”. They are not interested in anything else, I guess. It doesn’t matter that she is far better person than any of them.