Teaching your Children: Understanding verses Sensitivity

With so much of my focus on healthy eating and losing weight, I often worry that I might give my children the wrong impression on body image.  I want them to understand the importance of a healthy body and taking care of ones body but also the importance of a positive body image and being sensitive to other body types.  I do not want them to associate fat with something negative or "bad."  That is why I felt it extremely important have a discussion with my son the other day, after he called his little sister "fat" during an argument.

I told him how each person was made differently and this difference is what makes us special and unique. We also talked about how everyone comes in different shapes and sizes but no matter what we look like, we are all deserving of love and respect.  He seemed to be following along well, so I went on....

And being the Biochemist I am, I thought I would take it a bit further and get all Science on him.

I told him how fat cells were an essential part of our body and how we needed them because they protected our organs and kept us warm.  I went on to tell him how fat cells were also used as a storage place for energy.

He seemed completely interested, I was really getting through to him!  Not only did I give him a great lesson in positive body image but also a little science knowledge as well.  I really should get some type of mom award for this one.

He began to engage in the conversation.  "Great!", I thought.

And he says to me...

Well... at least, we are on the right track.