[bethy724]

I proudly state that my son eats healthy & is involved w/ sports. I am a very lucky mom that he eats what is in front of him & I'm hoping to avoid all the medical problems associated w/ obesity by teaching him from the start how to eat healthy. It's a lot more work to stop at the grocery 2-3 times a week to pick up fresh fruits & veggies but it's better than a bag of chips & soda.

I can't believe parents now have to defend themselves for starting their children off w/ a healthy diet. Apple juice (w/ out being diluted w/ water) is a treat to my son & I'm stared at like a freak - you just can't win.

[mommytoEli]

Originally Posted by kakuehl

My question would be, what does the pediatrician say? Are the kids on the charts? Are they healthy? Then don't worry. Continue feeding them the way you do. They will be much better off as they get older if they haven't gained the habit of eating lots of sugar and fat.

i agree. all of my children are tall and lean....oddly enough i am short and fat. lol. but i work SO hard to ensure that those kids eat better than i ever did. they still get mcdonalds and cookies, but they typically eat very healthy, and very well. when i took ds18 months for his well check last week, dr said he was 75% height, 25% weight....and that he'd be concerned about his weight, but on the growth chart he has always been tall and lean. my 6 year old is so tall and lean his pants fall off ALL THE TIME>....a belt just helps them fall down faster. lol. but like you, i am not going to go out of my way to beef up any of my kids by overloading them with crap. they eat plenty, in addition to all their fruits and veggies i make sure they get enough healthy fats and proteins...and that's all i can do. i shrug off their comments...because i know my kids are healthy. and quite frankly, i like when i'm at the supermarket and my kid is throwing a tanrum in the vegetable aisle because he just "PRETTY PLEASE" wants an artichoke! lol.

[nhook]

Well it happened again this week. A lady (whom I barely knew) at my son's swimming lessons commented to me how small he was for his age. I just looked at her and said "He eats constantly" and that was it. I have avoided her ever since.

Can't people mind their own business!!!! Sometimes there are good reasons for children being smaller than normal.

[amyfk]

Luckily we havent encountered a lot of rude people of late but try not to let the people get you down. I would walk away, ignore them, give them a quick pat answer, whatever works best for you.
Its sad to say it but there are a lot of people in this world and a lot of them aren't too bright and a lot of them dont have good EQ. Dont let them get to you.
Amy K, NJ

[N.Gwinn]

My children are both thin and tall. They usually hover somewhere around the 25th percentile in weight and between the 75th and 90th percentile in height. I asked our dr about whether I should be worried and try to 'beef them up' a little. He said two things to me that I hold on to:
1. The charts tell us what is average... not what is necessarily healthy. The average kid is fat today, so it is good to be under the average.
2. You can tell a lot about wheter your child is getting enough to eat by watching him/her play. If they are energetic children who are developing normally, they are probably fine.

I try to remember this when I start to worry about weight.

[DET62]

My kids are totally a normal weight but they were very thin when they came home.

It's nobody's business, but I would just laugh off rude remarks and say "They eat everything in sight!" and if the rude person persists just say, "The pediatrician says my kids are healthy so I'm not worried about it."

Dee

[SingleMama2B]

Hi Nhook.....

Been there big time! I brought my DD home 4 1/2 years ago at the age of 8 years 3 months old. She weighed a WHOOPING...... are you ready? 35 pounds!!!! I had so many comments, stares, etc. it drove me crazy. I simply said (if I felt like it and I knew the person(s) that she was severely abused and malnourished for the first 8 years of her life (TRUTH). If I didnt' care about the person saying anything.... I simply said that she was very petit. It truly is NO ONES buisness! My DD is blossoming, but will always be on the petit side. She too is on the charts, but on the low end. I know, the doctors (ped., endochronalogist, genetisits, etc.) are thrilled that my DD is doing soooo well.

NOTE: I did do a search for her birth family, and on top of the abuse and malnourishment for all the years, it turns out that both of her russian parents where both on the shorter side also!

[lakimnafite]

Both my kids are very thin for their height - but of normal height and within the healthy range for weight - just at the low end.

DS is bio and is built exactly like DH. Well, DH now has tons of muscle, but still very lean. DD is really built just like them as well. So happy for her that she didn't have to inherit the back side that I inherited from my mom!

So, I get those comments a lot. I actually turn it around on them. DH is a Personal Trainer and I am a Wellness Coach - so I go into Coach mode. I say something like, yes, I am so thrilled that they are so lean. It's amazing how much a kid can eat when the food is healthy and they are active! It's hard when kids struggle with weight. I could give you ideas for food if you have questions about healthy options for your child.

Oh, and of course, I smile sincerely!