One very saddened momma...

The other day I encountered what I believe is one of the most heart-wrenching moments a mom of a little girl can have. My sweet and usually very chatty baby girl (I say baby girl, because that is what she will always be to me!, but she is 6 years old, so not exactly a baby anymore) was uncharacteristically quiet and pensive after school one afternoon.  I asked her what was wrong, and got this ache in the pit of my stomach as the tears starting spilling out of those sad green eyes.  It didn't take her long to spit out that she "needed to go on a diet, and she was really sad about it."

I tried to wipe the incredulousness off my face and attempt to regain my composure before asking…no insisting she tell me what on earth gave her that idea!  Her sweet voice was quivering as she told me that "all the girls in my class said they only weigh XX pounds, and when I told them I weigh XX pounds they told me I was fat and needed to lose weight, and the only way to do that was to go on a diet." These were her words verbatim. 

I was appalled, discouraged, angry and so heart-broken for my baby girl.  She has been so blissfully innocent til this point of all things bully-ish, and I was just so saddened that at 6 years old, in a Christian school, my 1st grader is already being bombarded with this 'ideal image' that the world pushes on us, and in all reality, being subjected to a form of bullying because of it.  And all because she ways 7-10 pounds more than most girls in her class.

I still wouldn't think the situation was right even if my daughter was overweight, but the thing is she's not!  Is she a bit stockier than some? Sure.  But she's also far stronger than most her age, and she does gymnastics weekly, plays soccer almost year-round, jumps on the trampoline, and is in every sense of the word a VERY active girl. This is not a girl who binges on cupcakes and soda when she gets home from school while planted in front of the TV.

I realize at this point that I potentially sound like a momma bear coming to the defense of her baby cub…and perhaps I am. But how unhealthy for a 6 year old to hear such words? To be ridiculed for the way she looks? 

My sweet baby girl has most definitely inherited my body shape…she looks like a sports player! She is not particularly tall, and she has some pretty muscular legs for a wee one.  There are times I feel sorry for her, knowing that there will be days in the future when she may curse her body shape, just as I have.

But  hopefully there will be a life of many good moments….moments where she loves her curves, moments that she loves her strength, moments that she enjoys that she can kick the ball farther than the boys and moments where she knows she can hold her own in a push and shove situation.  (Not that I'm condoning violence or fighting, but rather the ability to stand up for herself)

This scenario my baby girl experienced at school has taken me a week or more to process, and just as long to come up with a game plan.  You see, I already tell my kiddos they are wonderful, and I have told bubba that he is "my handsome lil man" and baby girl knows that her daddy & I think she's absolutely beautiful just the way God made her.  But it did get me thinking…perhaps there is more I can do so ensure that my kids maintain a healthy self-image, and maintain a healthy living /eating  active lifestyle?

So here's what I'm going to do.  I'm going to come up with a game plan, and kick it off with the beginning of a new year.  I think it's ironic that it times right at the beginning of a New Year….as I am quite adamantly opposed to New Years resolutions.  But nonetheless, I think I'll try it anyways….I'll fill you in on all the details of said game plan soon.

I would be very intrigued though if any of you have encountered this situation with your wee ones?  How did you handle it?  What did you say? 

I'm still reeling…and saddened tremendously for my baby girl.