should we be concerned?

Holly_1007 · January 2013

sorry I haven't been around that much, life as a mom of 3 is hectic!

not sure if you all remember that we were having issues with sd's lack of weight gain or growth this past year. she was tested for anemia and that came back on the lower side of normal but not alarming. her doctor told dh that he thinks she is 'overly active'. so we have just beeing doing the best we can at giving her plenty of healthy food, making sure she always had enough to eat, with snacks in between meals etc.

the past 3 or 4 months or so she has become increasingly.. hmm.. whats the word, observant maybe? of what she is eating. making comments like 'im going to eat my brocolli before my steak because it is healthy' or 'i had a cookie at the christmas party but then had some carrot sticks because carrots are health for you'. well dh and i are glad she is aware of what is health food and what is a treat, it is becoming increasingly bizarre. she passed up birthday cake at ds1's birthday, last night she told me she didnt want to eat the corn because it had butter on it.

dh and i try to tell her that sweets are ok in moderation. it is ok to eat a cookie at a christmas party, and its okay to have cake at a birthday party, sweets just shouldnt be eaten all the time.

i have struggled with food and body image issues for years, so maybe i am just reading way too much into this, but at 6 years old i would never have the will power to pass up birthday cake!

(i am on my phone, i apoloigze for grammar and punctuation, also these are just a couple of examples, the past few times we have had her she has thoroughly analyzed every meal we had. it took me a half hour to convince her a grilled ham and cheese on whole grain bread wasnt 'junk food'.)

twister22 · January 2013

I would be concerned. I would guess that there is a woman in her life who has body image issues, and watching things she eats very closely, and makes comments about things. It's one thing for an adult to watch what they eat, but they generally don't make out-loud comments about it. It's good that SD doesn't want to have too much junk food, but it's bizarre that she will all together pass it up. I would be worried.

Holly_1007 · January 2013

thanks twister. i wasnt sure if it was my own issues projecting something that wasnt there. i guess i should clarify that i did have anorexia in high school but have been through counseling and am in a much better place. we let her see us eating treats, go out for ice cream together etc. so while i did have issues in the past im not positive that she is picking up these behaviors from me, i am at a healthy weight and due to breastfeeding and being pregnant i eat like a horse haha.

any suggestions on what we should do? she sees the guidance counselor at school twice a month, i guess dh should start there.

lookame3639 · January 2013

Even though your issues may not se. Prevalant to you girls still pick up on it. You said due to her weight issues you have becone vigilant in having her eat healthy so it's possible she has become vigilant in making sure she eats healthy. I would say instead of having her eat healthy have her graze throughtout the day. It helps build up weight without eating huge bulky meals.

Nineoceans · January 2013

I would definitely be concerned

CFjo2010 · January 2013

How long has SD been making these comments?

A few moths ago, K's class had a nutrition lesson. During the lesson they talked about the food pyramid, the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, the students gave examples of different foods that fit in different parts of the food pyramid, etc. Part of the lesson also touched on the importance of exercise and the impact that fatty foods have on cholesterol and heart disease. After that lesson, K was very vocal about what foods were "good" foods and which foods were part of the "bad" part of the pyramid. She was careful to only eat healthy foods and avoided sweets and treats. This lasted about a week, maybe 2.

If its been going on for awhile now, then definitely keep an eye on her. Her sudden concern about fat and junk food might be because of something she's hearing from adults, something she saw on a TV show, etc.

SimpleJane · January 2013

jobalchak:
How long has SD been making these comments?

A few moths ago, K's class had a nutrition lesson. During the lesson they talked about the food pyramid, the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, the students gave examples of different foods that fit in different parts of the food pyramid, etc. Part of the lesson also touched on the importance of exercise and the impact that fatty foods have on cholesterol and heart disease. After that lesson, K was very vocal about what foods were "good" foods and which foods were part of the "bad" part of the pyramid. She was careful to only eat healthy foods and avoided sweets and treats. This lasted about a week, maybe 2.

If its been going on for awhile now, then definitely keep an eye on her. Her sudden concern about fat and junk food might be because of something she's hearing from adults, something she saw on a TV show, etc.

I agree with this. Keep an eye on it, if it continues for a while I would consult her pediatrician about your concern.

+just+j+ · January 2013

At the age of six I would be concerned,but as long as she is eating well, staying at a healthy weight and not losing weight again - it may just be a phase. She's probably hearing all this talk in regards to her eating and health nad she is connecting what foods will put weight on. Down play the concern as much as you can. Kids can tell what works you up and what doesn't. If she got a lot of attention and fussing over her when she was thin, she could be putting two and two together and figuring out that if she stays skinny, you will continue to fuss over her.

fellesferie · January 2013

jobalchak:
How long has SD been making these comments? A few moths ago, K's class had a nutrition lesson. During the lesson they talked about the food pyramid, the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, the students gave examples of different foods that fit in different parts of the food pyramid, etc. Part of the lesson also touched on the importance of exercise and the impact that fatty foods have on cholesterol and heart disease. After that lesson, K was very vocal about what foods were "good" foods and which foods were part of the "bad" part of the pyramid. She was careful to only eat healthy foods and avoided sweets and treats. This lasted about a week, maybe 2. If its been going on for awhile now, then definitely keep an eye on her. Her sudden concern about fat and junk food might be because of something she's hearing from adults, something she saw on a TV show, etc.

Yep yep.

When DS was in 1st grade they did a whole nine weeks with a faux medical school. They learned tons about nutrition and heart healthy foods and exercise. For weeks after that DS wanted to know what was healthy. He still always asks about the healthiest thing on his plate and he'll usually ask for seconds on that.

But I would certainly keep an eye on it. And make sure that you and YH tell her she's beautiful and smart and that kind of thing.

twister22 · January 2013

holly71087:
thanks twister. i wasnt sure if it was my own issues projecting something that wasnt there. i guess i should clarify that i did have anorexia in high school but have been through counseling and am in a much better place. we let her see us eating treats, go out for ice cream together etc. so while i did have issues in the past im not positive that she is picking up these behaviors from me, i am at a healthy weight and due to breastfeeding and being pregnant i eat like a horse haha.
any suggestions on what we should do? she sees the guidance counselor at school twice a month, i guess dh should start there.

I just wanted to clarify that when I read your OP I actually never thought it was you she was getting those vibes from.

Want a personalized experience?

should we be concerned?

Re: should we be concerned?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards