Your kid is fat!

[UnTheist]

I'm suggesting you don't make it worse. Of course, we could have it your way and cause more problems. The kids will get teased, they'll lose what little self-esteem they might have left. They'll probably go straight to food for comfort and compound their problem. They'll grow up feeling like they're worth less than thin kids. Or, you know, they might go the other direction and turn to anorexia or bulemia in some attempt to feel worthy enough of at least being left alone.

The problem with that is, you need to work hard before you feel good about yourself. If they get teased, they should just work through it. Teasing will never go away.

 

[Bishka]

If the kids don't want to be healthy, or decide not to, they pay the price.

Some don't know how to be healthy. I didn't know the difference between some foods until I was about 13-15. Someone needs to educate these children.

 

[Bishka]

The problem with that is, you need to work hard before you feel good about yourself. If they get teased, they should just work through it. Teasing will never go away.

Have you ever been teased? :areyoucra

 

[UnTheist]

Some don't know how to be healthy. I didn't know the difference between some foods until I was about 13-15. Someone needs to educate these children.

Of course they do. I didn't say just to totally niglect them. But some kids don't care about their health, even if they know the facts.

 

[UnTheist]

Have you ever been teased? :areyoucra

Yes. I have been teased my whole life until about 1-2 years ago. It isn't easy to get over, but you kinda have to.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

The problem with that is, you need to work hard before you feel good about yourself. If they get teased, they should just work through it. Teasing will never go away.

'Just work through it'... I think that deserves an entirely different thread to discuss.

 

[Green Gaia]

Are you going to deny that people see homosexuality as a problem? Do you trust the public school system to decide whether or not homosexuality is a problem? If they did decided it was a problem and they sent reports home to parents when they notice possible homosexual behavior, are you okay with that? Are you okay with the possibility of drawing attention to it and singling out homosexual students in the hostile environment of middle school and high school?

I don't think you can draw that comparasion. Morbidly obsese children are at risk of dying.

I'm suggesting you don't make it worse. Of course, we could have it your way and cause more problems. The kids will get teased, they'll lose what little self-esteem they might have left. They'll probably go straight to food for comfort and compound their problem. They'll grow up feeling like they're worth less than thin kids. Or, you know, they might go the other direction and turn to anorexia or bulemia in some attempt to feel worthy enough of at least being left alone.

And we do nothing as you suggest and they die or develop worse health problems? What then? What do you say to them when they ask, "Why didn't you help me?"

 

[UnTheist]

'Just work through it'... I think that deserves an entirely different thread to discuss.

Are you suggesting I make one?

 

[Green Gaia]

How does sending a report to parents who don't care help the kid? Or having a meeting with parents who don't care?

A simple report probably won't do it. It needs to be explictly spelled out for them what could happen if the child doesn't get help and lose weight. The schools need to promote good health in eathing and exercise as well.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Are you suggesting I make one?

Not really.

 

[UnTheist]

Not really.

Alright then.

 

[nutshell]

A simple report probably won't do it. It needs to be explictly spelled out for them what could happen if the child doesn't get help and lose weight. The schools need to promote good health in eathing and exercise as well.

So your assumption is that lousy parents don't know what could happen if the child doesn't get help and lose weight?

 

[UnTheist]

So your assumption is that lousy parents don't know what could happen if the child doesn't get help and lose weight?

I'm sure many parents very well know what the negative effects of obesity are. That still won't stop them from not caring

 

[Ðanisty]

The problem with that is, you need to work hard before you feel good about yourself. If they get teased, they should just work through it. Teasing will never go away.

And exactly when do they get the opportunity? Not everyone has the strength of will that you and I have. That doesn't excuse the behavior of other children. What you are suggesting is that it's the victim's fault.

I don't think you can draw that comparasion. Morbidly obsese children are at risk of dying.

I didn't think you'd like that comparison. Nothing can ever be as desperate or painful as being gay. You're thinking only of physical health here which is not surprising...

And we do nothing as you suggest and they die or develop worse health problems? What then? What do you say to them when they ask, "Why didn't you help me?"

First of all. They're never going to ask that. Second of all, you've failed to prove how doing a BMI test and sending the results to parents who don't care is going to help obese children.

A simple report probably won't do it. It needs to be explictly spelled out for them what could happen if the child doesn't get help and lose weight. The schools need to promote good health in eathing and exercise as well.

Have you ever seen interviews with these parents or watched videos of them around their children? It's not going to help. They've created monsters by catering to whatever their kids want and now they don't have the balls to make it right. They always give in because they don't want to deal with it. Explaining it isn't going to help.

 

[Green Gaia]

So your assumption is that lousy parents don't know what could happen if the child doesn't get help and lose weight?

I cannot, nor do I want to, imagine a parent who knows the risk to their child's health and does nothing about it. I cannot fathom that.

 

[Ðanisty]

I cannot, nor do I want to, imagine a parent who knows the risk to their child's health and does nothing about it. I cannot fathom that.

Then you are not prepared for this debate...

 

[UnTheist]

And exactly when do they get the opportunity? Not everyone has the strength of will that you and I have. That doesn't excuse the behavior of other children. What you are suggesting is that it's the victim's fault.

You are right. Not everybody does. What do you suggest we do to end the teasing? Every human can increase their will power and motivation.

I am saying it's the victim's fault, to an extent. This world isn't a cake walk. People will always judge you. Maybe I should be more sympathetic, but that's the way I currently see it

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I take that back, apparently. As much as I dislike the idea of a thread on teasing, one may be necesary in order to keep from derailing this thread. (Which I'm bowing out on, since it seems to be a source of frustration for many.)

 

[Green Gaia]

I didn't think you'd like that comparison. Nothing can ever be as desperate or painful as being gay. You're thinking only of physical health here which is not surprising...

No, I'm not. Don't you think that once they are healthy, they will be mentally happier as well? And I don't agree that nothing is as desperate or painful as being gay. You can somewhat hide and lie about being gay, you can't hide your weight. Heavy kids get the worst end of the stick, I know that. That's why I think they should be helped and for their health.

I said earlier in the thread that I was of normal BMI in school, and I was. But I wasn't skinny, therefore I got teased too for being fat, and believed I was. I know what these kids go through and I want to help them.

First of all. They're never going to ask that. Second of all, you've failed to prove how doing a BMI test and sending the results to parents who don't care is going to help obese children.

Have you ever seen interviews with these parents or watched videos of them around their children? It's not going to help. They've created monsters by catering to whatever their kids want and now they don't have the balls to make it right. They always give in because they don't want to deal with it. Explaining it isn't going to help.

So we should just give up on the kids? This is more than just a BMI test at a school. It's about helping these kids who have no where else to go. If they can't rely on their parents, who are they going to rely on?

 

[Green Gaia]

Then you are not prepared for this debate...

You're right, what do I know? I'm just a hypocrite, right?