Out of the Mouths of Babes

[lynda]

I just had to share this funny/sad story with you all. I was working out this morning, and my 5-year old daughter woke up and came downstairs toward the end of the workout, as she often will in the mornings. I was doing an ab workout after doing Cathe's Imax 2, and my daughter said to me, "I think your thighs need to be thinner--not that big." And I said to her, "What do you mean by that?" And she said, "Look at how fat they are!" I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I know she doesn't get the idea from me, because I'm very conscious not to say negative things about my body in front of her. You have to be so careful of affecting young girls' body images these days. I guess she's got eyes in her head, but come on--I'm a size 8--not exactly obese! Ever just feel like throwing in the towel?

 

[briee]

Lynda, keep in mind that children compare "themselves" to you. You may be 28 years old and you seem ancient to her. Your legs are probably lots bigger than your five year olds so from her perspective they are HUGE. My daughter got on the scale (9 years old) the other day and she weighed 60 pounds to which I said "your gonna weigh as much as me soon" to which she replied "Mom, your 103 pounds, that's huge, I'll never weigh that much".

So don't sweat it, your doing great and setting a great example that she will hopefully follow in years to come!!!!

Briee


And yes sometimes I do feel like throwing the towel in, but everyone here keeps encouraging me and we'll keep cheering you on too!!

 

[mogambo]

Heck, the people in this forum would probably invent some sort of weighted towel throwing intensity drill! Nobody throws a towel like we do.

 

[bfj]

Hi Lynda,
I am sure you already know this but I believe you make sure you daughter knows that you love your body just the way it is. Keep on your fantastic work. This is a life long fantastic, healthy journey.

 

[lorihart]

My daugther come downstairs in the morning as well,when I am working out.She just rolls her eyes, I don't think she understands why I do it.She is 7.
But the other day we were at the grocery store and she wanted to know if I watched Inspector Gadget when I was a little girl.Then she wanted to know if the t.v had color when I was a little girl.I am only 24! Then she said something about when you were a little girl it was back in the old'in days!I know I am only young, but realisticly to her,she probably thinks that I am so much older.I am the youngest mother in her class.Sometimes I feel like a baby taking a baby to school.
They are funny.She once told my sister that the dress was to small for her bum...she wouldn't say your bum is to big for that dress.She already knows how fussy women can be.My sister just laughed.
Lori

 

[dani21496]

Don't feel bad!! My 7 yr old son has the biggest heart and is so sweet!! I'm 5 feet 0 inches tall! A few months ago when he was still 6, he said to me out of the blue..."Mom, when you're standing there, you kind of look like a dwarf." We had just watched a show on Discovery channel about dwarfs a few days earlier. I was shocked!! I turned around and said, "WHAT???" He was shocked that I was shocked and said, "No, not really, I didn't mean it, Mom." He felt soooo bad. He's a sweetie and would never hurt anyone's feelings intentionally. I was wearing baggy clothes or something made me look reaaaally short I guess. Hee-Hee!!

Again, don't feel bad... they don't really mean it.

Danielle :7

 

[tknelsen]

That comment about the weighted towel throwing drill made me laugh so hard!
My daughters love watching me work out with Cathe. My 4 year old is quick to point it out when my form begins to suffer (MOM! Cathe is kicking much higher than you!) The other day after doing the tricep work on 10-10-10 (triceps are my major weak spot) I was feeling so sad because I couldn't get those tricep push-ups, my daughter told me "just keep trying mom. some day you'll be as strong as Cathe is."
I hope that I am setting a good example about being healthy to my daughters - I always try to emphasize that I am trying to be strong and fit (and I don't talk about my struggle to fit back into my jeans after baby #3).

 

[lynda]

Thank you guys. You are all so great. It's wonderful to have people to bounce things off who understand. I'm still plugging away. In my head, I know I'm setting the foundation for a healthy appreciation of fitness in my children. My daughter likes to grab the Rubbermaid bench we keep in the bathroom and work out with Mom when I'm using a mini step. Some days are better than others, I guess. You guys are sure a great big boost when I'm feeling discouraged. Thanks, again!

 

[briee]

Hey Mogambo, I think you're onto something, give me some time and I'll develop this........LOL ROTF. You are so funny!!!!

 

[DawnA]

It's really interesting how much the little ones pay attention to what we do. My 5 year old has her own step (which my sister-in-law was too happy to give away) and 1 lb. pink weights. She "works out" in the morning before school. She drags that step out, lifts up the DB a few times while watching Little Bear and calls it quits. I am amazed that she does this! She certainly has her opinions though! She says Cathe is just "too bossy, and always telling you what to do, and then you smell bad!"

 

[lynda]

That's too cute! I think it's great that they see the importance we place on fitness. Hopefully, it will become a part of their view of a normal lifestyle--something you do each day, like brushing your teeth, getting dressed, etc.

 

[clareMc]

Cathe is just "too bossy, and always telling you what to do, and then you smell bad!"

Honestly, that is just tooooooo funny. I laughed out loud, thank you!

Listen, I believe that we just all keep on keeping on, because we teach by example, period. You are fit, you are healthy, and you prioritize that and your kids and mine see this on a weekly basis, day in, day out.

You know what? I think it has so much to do with, as one poster here said, the fact that we are huge creatures as far as our kids are concerned. To a kids' eye view, it's impossible for them to see how they, with their neat litle forms, hair-free and cellulite-free bodies, could ever morph into a smelly, hairy, adult!

I have these talks with my girls on a regular basis now that they are 6 and 9. We all undress in front of eachother all the time, I often bath with them after my late afternoon workout, so they get to see an example of what their body could develop into. Scary!!!! My 9 year old already tells me thst she'd like to forgo all that body hair please, it is not aesthetically pleasing to her refined sensibilities! I tell her, hon, you ain't gonna have any choice in the matter I'm afraid, but don't worry, you've got lots of time before then and when your body does change, we'll get you ready for it.

In my family I am the tallest and at 132 pounds, the heaviest, my husband is quite small. So, there is a league table of butt sizes that my daughters compile on a regular basis, with Maddie aged 6 at the bottom (no pun intended!) with the neatest little butt in history, then Martha, then their Dad with his now sagging little butt, and I am touted at the top with the BIGGEST BUTT IN THE FAMILY!!!!!! The three of them, in cahoots as always, joke that when the elastic band pinging session is under way, MUM'S BUTT IS THE BIG TARGET!!!

And this has nothing to do with whether I am fat or not, which I am not, and my girls know I am not. To them, this is just because MUM IS SOOOOO BIG! WAY BIGGER THAN DAD!!!!

:7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7

Clare

 

[MRSchultz]

Try not to feel bad.......After I've been going to Weight Watchers for about 3 years and can't seem to get that last 20 pounds off - my son announced in one of the meetings "mom, how come you never get any awards? How come you can't lose weight like they do!" Now let me tell you, he was loud and clear on that one. UGH! So, I know how you feel. Hang in there.