Although recently he has informed me that I am no longer allowed to call him baby - sweetie is ok, but baby is out of the question.I am blessed with great kids. They are well behaved, kind, loving boys. Both of them are happy, well-adjusted kids. My "sweetie" is the lover; he hugs and kisses, and I eat it up!
They are BIG boys. Heavy little monkeys that the average Joe cannot pick up and cuddle. And I'm worried. Am I perpetuating a cycle of weight preoccupation? Am I setting them up for a future of "diets"?
My hubby and I were both big kids. We have experienced ebbs and flows in our weight. Times in our lives when we rejoiced in our trim existence, and times when our full belly interfered with simple tasks like tying our shoes. So, there is a part of my brain that firmly believes that my kids are big because of genetics. That is just who they are - right down to their DNA. There is also a part of my more rational brain that wants me to control their diet down to the last calorie.
Voila! This is my reality. This is my world. This is how I live. I vacillate between lax eating (trusting that my genetics are dictating my physique and my appetite) and controlled calorie consumption (recognizing that ultimately what goes into my mouth is my responsibility).
My sweetie knows that I love him. I love him just the way he is; he is perfect in every way. I would be willing to bet that my mom thinks that I'm perfect too. My job now is to foster his confidence and the joy of movement, and to love him. He doesn't know that I am fat or thin, but he knows that he is perfect in my eyes. Together, we'll find a balance, and with balance the cycle of obesity will be broken.
