Wednesday, May 22, 2013

How Do We Keep the Next Generation Healthy in Body AND Mind?

So I have this amazing 5-year-old little girl.  

Now I know a lot of you are going to charge me with being biased because every parent thinks their child is amazing.  But seriously, this kid is truly fantastic!  She's smart and bright and sweet and SO kind and loving.  When my back is in unbearable amounts of pain, she comes up and lays her hands on my back and tells me she's going to give me some of her "healthy" power.  And sometimes she'll sing me a little song too:  

"When you're feeling bad; Just keep on going through! 
You just have to keep on going, and soooooon it will be better!"

See? Just a truly AMAZING kid.

And right now, she knows that she is BEAUTIFUL.  She knows it in that care-free, 5-year-old way.  The kind of knowledge that allows her to happily wear purple striped tights, a ballet tutu, a puppy dog T-shirt, and then top it all of with a snowflake hat and a plastic tiara.  That's effortless beauty.

She IS beautiful.  She's got these big brown eyes that are bright and full of life and curiosity.  (Sometimes a little too much curiosity!)  She's got eyelashes as long as her arm, skin the colour of a very creamy cafe au lait, and a smile that's gorgeous enough to charm just about anyone.  She's tall and long-limbed.  She's strong and fit and healthy.  

I SO want her to stay that way.

Which brings us to my major fear: 

How Do I Keep Her Healthy Without Passing On My Body Image Issues?

I want to make sure that she stays healthy and that she doesn't end up with the same health problems I'm dealing with now; diabetes and back pain.  And of course, I want her to avoid the kind of ridicule and bullying that overweight kids receive in school.  

When I think about these things; though, I hear the ghost of MY mom's concerns for me, and I want to make sure that I don't heap my own paranoia and fear of weight gain onto my beautiful girl.

I want to impress upon her how important it is that she eat healthy and get lots of exercise to keep her body fit and in good working condition, but I want to do that without giving her a complex about her weight.  

So far, I'm just trying to make her understand what healthy food does for your body versus what unhealthy food does.  I try to teach her that the "junk food" is yummy and good for a treat, but real food is also yummy and good for your body.

Now that I'm trying to eat better I'm hoping she'll learn by example, the idea and practice of moderation.  I just hope I'm not too late to teach her what healthy eating and an active lifestyle look like.  (Well, as active as I can be right now with a walker.)  

I want to get this right because I don't want ANYTHING to damage this truly amazing kid.

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