The Rant of a Grumpy Old Woman

The Rant of a Grumpy Old Woman

Once upon a time, I was sitting in a coffee shop.  Next to me there was a young couple with their child, a boy, of about 2 years old.  In one hand he had a sandwich: in the other hand, he had a biscuit and at the same time, his mother was feeding him a banana.  This child was, and there is no other word for it, fat.  Hardly surprising, when every time he stopped eating what was in his hands, his mother stuffed banana into his mouth.

Neither she nor her partner were overweight.  So arguably, she was not totally unaware of issues surrounding food and obesity.  Perhaps, however, she was unaware that obesity in younger people can lead to problems that were previously only seen in adults.  Such future health problems include high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and not least of all, emotional and/or psychological problems.[1]  I think it was much more likely that these parents, along with many others today, believe that to deny a child (virtually anything) is to be a bad parent. 

Well, hey, have I got news for you – it is OK to say NO and as a mother of grown-up children, I am in a position to preach.  In fact, it is your duty as a parent to help your child grow up into a well adjusted and healthy adult and if that mean saying NO, then so be it.  Oh, by the way, you don’t owe your 2 year old (nor even your 10 year old) an explanation for your every decision.  NO is sometimes simply NO.  Because the grumpy old woman said so. 

End of story.

[1]http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmhealth/23/2302.htm

last time modified: Dec. 19, 2011, 9:54 p.m.