about their weight
I was at the beach the other day and I noticed a little boy, around 9 years old, there with several older women. One of the women seemed to be the boy's grandmother and she sat and chatted with her friends while the little boy swam.
The boy may have been considered a tiny bit overweight for his age and height and, as I watched him sit down for a snack with his grandmother, I could predict the conversation to come.
She "helpfully" told the boy that he should "slow down" and try to "really savour his food". There is no doubt in my mind that she meant well. She cared about this boy and didn't want him to be bullied or, even worse, have health problems.
The silence that followed the grandmother's helpful statements, combined with the almost imperceptible sag of his shoulders told me all I needed to know. He'd heard all of this before and it didn't help then, any more than it would now.
Link to article: Healthy ways to talk to children and teens about their weight - NZ Herald
