Picture a child’s psyche as a delicate, fragile little plant. If nurtured and taken care of, it will blossom into a beautiful, strong, healthy tree. However, it’s so easy to trample without even meaning to. Fayrouz Nasser Eid, Founder of The Daily Crisp, brought this up in her Facebook status about the things her son goes through because of his weight.
Unfortunately, this happens from people around our children all the time, without those people ever realizing how much they’re hurting them. You might have seen this happen to your child, or even had it happen to you, yourself, as a child. Phrases like “don’t you eat at all?” “why are you so skinny?” “don’t your parents feed you?” are said in passing to thin children all the time. No one bats an eyelash, even though it’s evident that those children do not enjoy being told they’re too thin.
“Comments made casually, especially to children, leave scars that don’t heal easily.”
People have at last become aware that “fat-shaming” is not okay. Finally, they understand that someone’s body type is not their choice, and their bad eating habits won’t change when they’re shamed; quite the opposite. However, people seem to neglect the fact that shaming someone for being skinny is just as bad as shaming someone for being overweight. Comments made casually, especially to children, leave scars that don’t heal easily.
A child should never have to deal with body image issues at such a young age. It’s unfair for a distant relative or a family friend who barely sees a child to cause them to doubt themselves and feel less than worthy and less attractive. The worst part is that they think they’re being funny or original, all on the expense of a child’s self esteem.
“if the child’s health was at risk, then the matter should be taken up with the parent, not the child. And it definitely should not be trivialized or made fun of”
There are so many ways in which this situation, which has always happened to thin children, is wrong. First and foremost, it is no one’s business that the child is thin as long as they are healthy. Second, if the child’s health was at risk, then the matter should be taken up with the parent, not the child. And it definitely should not be trivialized or made fun of. Third, a “joke” is something that everyone should find funny; a joke that makes one person laugh, and hurts the feelings of someone else is not a joke, but blatant bullying.
We’re very glad Fayrouz brought this up. As mothers shouldn’t hold back from telling people to stop bullying their children. Double standards about weight are appalling, and the ones who pay most of the price are children who have to put up with this insensitivity.
