WTH Plus size clothes for kids!?! vent

[allie&mattsmom]

Not all heavy kids are heavy because they overeat and/or are inactive. It breaks my heart that there are people judging heavy children unfairly. Kids nowadays have it hard enough without adults looking at them in disgust.

I have a niece, sweetest girl in the world, who has always been a bit heavy. She does not eat fast food often, she is very active in sports, and my brother & SIL really watch her sweets & snacks. Come to find out she has a severe thyroid imbalance and is and will be on medication for the rest of her life. It infuriates me that there are people who look at this sweet little girl and think her parents are the cause of this. Couldn't be further from the truth.

 

[KarenAylwood]

Not all heavy kids are heavy because they overeat and/or are inactive. It breaks my heart that there are people judging heavy children unfairly. Kids nowadays have it hard enough without adults looking at them in disgust.

I have a niece, sweetest girl in the world, who has always been a bit heavy. She does not eat fast food often, she is very active in sports, and my brother & SIL really watch her sweets & snacks. Come to find out she has a severe thyroid imbalance and is and will be on medication for the rest of her life. It infuriates me that there are people who look at this sweet little girl and think her parents are the cause of this. Couldn't be further from the truth.

I personally don't have a problem with kids who are a "bit heavy". Heck, I was chubby when I was little and still struggle with weight issues today. I eat as healthy as I can, but like many- will eat for comfort too. I work out as much as I can find the time... I struggle with it. I even tried starving myself in high school and all it got me was a little lighter and a messed up metabolism.

I have a problem with the parents I see in the grocery stores. The ones buying the Little Debbies, the Stouffer's meals by the dozens, the Kraft Mac & Cheese by the case, the generic sugar-filled soda and the bags of chips. There are kids out there who can hardly WALK let alone run around.

Those are who I think of when I think of child obesity. Kids who got stuck with parents who can't afford to feed them well, or who just don't want to deprive their little sweetie of anything they could ever want.

There are tons of kids who struggle with weight issues and my heart goes out to them- I was one of them. I still am. It's a battle for me every day but I stick with it to stay healthy. I think the OP wasn't trying to put down kids who are a "bit heavy" or any adult. It's those kids who have parents that just don't look out for their wellbeing many times because they don't know how.

So many posters have taken this thread to be more than it was originally intended, IMO.

 

[Marseeya]

You know, you're right. I'm just getting so frustrated when I see those families in the grocery store, in the food court at the mall or the plus size clothes in the store. It's an epidemic and I think it's incredibly sad for children to be put into that position by their parents. Obesity is unhealthy and it's just not fair to the kids.

"Those families"???

Maybe you should stay home then. I find it sad that you're so judgmental that you think everyone has to fit your standard of physical attractiveness.

My kids eat just fine, thank you very much, and you don't need to feel sorry for us when you see us in the grocery store, the food court, or the plus sized section in the clothing stores. My chubby DD takes dance, eats well, and gets plenty of activity. My DS is actually very skinny, lucky him, but I guarantee you that he's not the active one.

Maybe we fatties should just confine ourselves to the house so that nobody else need be exposed to our "epidemic."

 

[Marseeya]

Not all heavy kids are heavy because they overeat and/or are inactive. It breaks my heart that there are people judging heavy children unfairly. Kids nowadays have it hard enough without adults looking at them in disgust.

I have a niece, sweetest girl in the world, who has always been a bit heavy. She does not eat fast food often, she is very active in sports, and my brother & SIL really watch her sweets & snacks. Come to find out she has a severe thyroid imbalance and is and will be on medication for the rest of her life. It infuriates me that there are people who look at this sweet little girl and think her parents are the cause of this. Couldn't be further from the truth.

Same here. My whole biological family suffers from thyroid disease, as do I, so my kids get tested every other year. It's that self-righteous attitude that the OP demonstrates that kept me from being diagnosed in the first place. Everywhere you turn, you hear how fat people are lazy and don't know how to eat properly, and that they just use their thyroid as an "excuse." I wonder how many other people have to live with this stigma.

 

[Christine]

I think it's rude that you obviously didn't read what I've written in this thread. I will say this one more time: I am NOT talking about kids that are a bit overweight or are going through a chunky stage before a growth spurt. And I'm NOT talking about stores carrying clothes of all sizes - I think that's great in fact. And of course I'm not talking about making them walk around naked to teach them a lesson. What I'm talking about is a large area of the girl's clothing section that is dedicated to Plus Sizes.

Cindyluwho--I just wanted to let you know that I *get* what you are saying. I can see that people are really inflamed here and I don't understand why. It's not as if you stated that you were shocked that there are plus-sized clothes for girls. I agree, what is shocking is the EXPANSION of the plus-sized clothing for children. It is just another indicator of what is going on out there. We all know there is an obesity epidemic with kids. Now the stores are cashing in on it. There is a market. OF COURSE, there have always been people that aren't built like string beans. Girls being thicker in the waist through their childhood, etc. I understand what you're saying--I don't think you are judgemental and shallow. Last week, I went into Target to get my son some jeans. I really had to dig to find regular sized pants. They had a small shelf devoted to regular jeans, virtually nothing in Slims, and a whole display set up for husky sizes. Now, it's not that they were sold out of the regular sizes--you could see by the bar codes that they are carrying way more husky sizes then any of the others. I guess Target is just being more stealth about it.

 

[bubie2.5]

My once skinny niece gained 30 pounds in a few months because of meds she's taking... thank God for plus sized kids clothes!!!

 

[kristen821]

Cindyluwho--I just wanted to let you know that I *get* what you are saying. I can see that people are really inflamed here and I don't understand why. It's not as if you stated that you were shocked that there are plus-sized clothes for girls. I agree, what is shocking is the EXPANSION of the plus-sized clothing for children. It is just another indicator of what is going on out there. We all know there is an obesity epidemic with kids. Now the stores are cashing in on it. There is a market. OF COURSE, there have always been people that aren't built like string beans. Girls being thicker in the waist through their childhood, etc. I understand what you're saying--I don't think you are judgemental and shallow. Last week, I went into Target to get my son some jeans. I really had to dig to find regular sized pants. They had a small shelf devoted to regular jeans, virtually nothing in Slims, and a whole display set up for husky sizes. Now, it's not that they were sold out of the regular sizes--you could see by the bar codes that they are carrying way more husky sizes then any of the others. I guess Target is just being more stealth about it.

IMHO-I don't think I would find what the op said to be meant in an offesive way if she didn't say "I'm sorry flame away," which to me indicates that she knew and meant for what she said to be offensive. I suggest maybe an edit if it is not meant to be offensive.

 

[CanBeGrumpy]

The other day I was in the store shopping for my kids' cub scout Christmas party. My cart was loaded with tons of unhealthy foods. I hope no one thinks that my family eats that way all the time based on seeing my shopping cart ONE time!

 

[dismom9761]

Where I took offense is when the OP said something about putting the child's life on the line by letting them get overweight.Yes there are alot of people who give their children whatever they want but just because a child is overweight does not mean this is the case.I have been getting alot of comments about my Dd's size lately and I hate the thought of her being put in a category of lazy,etc.I don't know if this makes any sense but I did take offense.I do everything I can to give my DD a healthy life and do not like the idea that people are looking at her and judging her by her size.BTW she is 6 yrs old 51 inches tall and 70 lbs.She is also very beautiful in her plus size clothing.

 

[KarenAylwood]

I can see that people are really inflamed here and I don't understand why. It's not as if you stated that you were shocked that there are plus-sized clothes for girls. I agree, what is shocking is the EXPANSION of the plus-sized clothing for children. It is just another indicator of what is going on out there. We all know there is an obesity epidemic with kids. Now the stores are cashing in on it. There is a market. OF COURSE, there have always been people that aren't built like string beans. Girls being thicker in the waist through their childhood, etc. I understand what you're saying--I don't think you are judgemental and shallow.

I just think people become inflamed when they are like "hey, I'm "fat" and so are my kids and we eat fine and we are active and it's not our faults, how does this &%$#* have the right to talk about us like that?" The OP was stating that she was realizing how the obesity epidemic has spread. She's not talking about people with thyroid problems or kids who are genetically predisposed to being chubby or obese. You can't deny that obesity has risen by A LOT in the past decades. We can't just all of a sudden be a country full of people with thyroid problems and bad genes.

There is more junky food out there, more fast food, and more people who don't understand what they are doing to their children when they pump them full of this stuff. I was allowed to eat junk food when I was younger (probably more than I should have, and more than I now wish they had fed me) and as an adult have realized the necessity to feed kids whole grains and fruits/veggies in addition to a few treats once in a while. I went to an all you can eat Chinese buffet recently (and you thought I was an aerobic-instructor-looking-organic-food-touting skinnie minnie) and saw a man and his wife and their VERY overweight child sitting in a high chair. A HIGH CHAIR, who was eating more than I could put down in one sitting!! Fried foods, ice cream, everything. The kid was maybe three or four. It's people like that that I don't understand. They can't think they are doing anything but predisposing their child to a life of struggling with their weight.

CanBeGrumpy~ I'm sure you had tons of regular meal foods like frozen dinners and mac and cheese for your son's party
What is one supposed to think when you see a very overweight mom buying snack cakes, whole milk and mac and cheese while their overweight six year old is walking next to them grabbing at every unhealthy thing in sight on the shelves?

 

[kristen821]

Where I took offense is when the OP said something about putting the child's life on the line by letting them get overweight.Yes there are alot of people who give their children whatever they want but just because a child is overweight does not mean this is the case.I have been getting alot of comments about my Dd's size lately and I hate the thought of her being put in a category of lazy,etc.I don't know if this makes any sense but I did take offense.I do everything I can to give my DD a healthy life and do not like the idea that people are looking at her and judging her by her size.BTW she is 6 yrs old 51 inches tall and 70 lbs.She is also very beautiful in her plus size clothing.

To me that doesn't sound all that big so don't let anyone judge her. My ds7 is 51 inches and 59 pounds. He is very skinny I think if he gained 10 pounds he would actually fit in regular sizes!

 

[dismom9761]

To me that doesn't sound all that big so don't let anyone judge her. My ds7 is 51 inches and 59 pounds. He is very skinny I think if he gained 10 pounds he would actually fit in regular sizes!

Thank you for your comment.She has a belly.That seems to be where her weight goes.It doesn't help that her brother is the exact height and weighs 47 lbs.And eats alot more than her.

 

[FSUGrad97]

You know, you're right. I'm just getting so frustrated when I see those families in the grocery store, in the food court at the mall or the plus size clothes in the store. It's an epidemic and I think it's incredibly sad for children to be put into that position by their parents. Obesity is unhealthy and it's just not fair to the kids.

Seriously, why do other people's choices bother you this much? Yes, people may not make the best choices, but it's not your problem. Personally, I think you are being a little judgemental since you don't know anything about these people that you see other than their outward appearance.

 

[Cindyluwho]

Seriously, why do other people's choices bother you this much? Yes, people may not make the best choices, but it's not your problem. Personally, I think you are being a little judgemental since you don't know anything about these people that you see other than their outward appearance.

Let's put it this way. If you were in the grocery store and you saw an adult abusing a child would you be judgemental? How is feeding your child unhealthy food and setting them up for teasing, health issues, etc any different?

 

[KarenAylwood]

Seriously, why do other people's choices bother you this much? Yes, people may not make the best choices, but it's not your problem. Personally, I think you are being a little judgemental since you don't know anything about these people that you see other than their outward appearance.

I can't talk for the OP but I'm fine with people who are obese and have made the choice to not do anything about it (ie, the overly obese people with bad foods). It is their choice. I just think it's sad to see children subjected to the same thing, when it's not even their fault. They are predisposed to struggling with weight their whole lives, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone because I know how hard it can be, and I wasn't even to that extreme when I was younger!

And I don't think kids with thyroid problems or bad genes were even meant to be included in this. The # of kids with these problems has not risen with the numbers of children battling obesity from bad environmental circumstances. There have always been plus sizes out there for kids like this- who are a little chubby, or have some kind of medical problem. But now there are TONS of plus sized clothing out there. Like another said- it's the EXPANSION of it, not the presence of it.

 

[allie&mattsmom]

The OP was stating that she was realizing how the obesity epidemic has spread. She's not talking about people with thyroid problems or kids who are genetically predisposed to being chubby or obese. You can't deny that obesity has risen by A LOT in the past decades. We can't just all of a sudden be a country full of people with thyroid problems and bad genes.

But she said in her OP that she started looking around at the mall and that the majority of the parents and children were "Huge". To me, she's judging them without knowing anything about them, like if they have thyroid problems or if they are kids who are genetically predisposed to being chubby or obese.

 

[jonestavern]

A lot of adolescent girls go through a chubby stage even though they were thin children and will grow up to be thin adults. I know that has happened to a lot of friends and family members, and it happened to me. I was always very thin, then when I turned 10 or 11 I got really chubby. I slimmed back down when I was 14 and I've been thin ever since (with the exception of right after giving birth). At age 12, I weighed more than I do now. I was 5'2" and weighed 125. Now I'm 5'5" but I weigh 112. I wish when I was going through that chubby change I would've been able to find clothes that fit. I still remember, decades later, how embarrassing it was to have to buy "old lady" clothes because that was all that would fit.

I remember being a real shorty & always weighing more than my classmates since 4th grade, when the nurse proclaimed our weigts to all (this was the early '60's). I was involved with athletics--baseball, fencing, basketball, field hockey & Russian ballet--& was not allowed to hang around TV, & enjoyed 'playing' outdoors, especially bicycling.
DMom, who meant well bless her heart, perpetually had me on diets, some pretty bizarre(remember the grapefruit diet? the soup diet?). We did Weight Watchers, & when I reached 120--I'm sure we'll agree, pretty plump on 5 ft tall--I was told I was 'just fine'! Actually, the weight just 'melted' away when I turned 19--no special diets, no extra exercise, but until then I had to wear 'old lady' clothes. I did learn to sew & both my DSis--a size 1 & 5'5"--would make our own school clothes.
I would say perhaps integrate the 'husky' or 'chubby' clothes in with the regular sizes. Yes, I do agree more kids are overweight today. I think the old bugaboo is total lack of exercise & parents are so pressed for time they take the 'shortcuts' for meals & snacking, & those are often empty calories.
also, in the early '80's a few of my friends & I working at the town's (in RI not NH) schools' cafeterias asked why it was practiced routinely dumping butter into the veggies--a big 5# block into a 4 #10 cans of veg--amoungst many other unnecessary practices--the nutritionist & board told us since we did not have a nutritionist's degree between us we were just blowing hot air! the schools' nutritionist (yep, she had a degree) told us where to get off.
still say 'you don't have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows'!
I think I'll pop some corn & grab a diet & read on

Jean

 

[lucyanna girl]

If I were to start a thread that stated that I saw a lot of children who looked too thin and that it was their parents fault for not feeding them enough would that be OK?

 

[tw1nsmom]

Seriously, why do other people's choices bother you this much? Yes, people may not make the best choices, but it's not your problem. Personally, I think you are being a little judgemental since you don't know anything about these people that you see other than their outward appearance.

ITA

I think we would be better off as a society if we concentrated on raising our OWN children to be healthy and kind, rather than spending our time judging others. Teach YOUR children healthy eating. Teach YOUR children to be active. Teach YOUR children to be accepting of others and that it is none of their business why someone is bigger than them. Leave it to the professionals to teach other parents about healthy eating. If you must become involved, lobby the schools to provide healthy lunches for the children. If one of your daughters has a bigger friend, tell her how beautiful she is and include her in FUN activities like ice skating and hiking.

I look back at pictures of myself when I was a child and I see a slightly chinky girl. That girl was told she was FAT all her life and it eventually became a self-fulfilling prophesy. The more people criticized the more withdrawn I became. Food became a major comfort point/drug for me.

Live your life the way you want. Raise your girls to be healthy and nonjudgmental. Loose your disgust and pity for heavy children. We don't want or need it.

 

[FSUGrad97]

Let's put it this way. If you were in the grocery store and you saw an adult abusing a child would you be judgemental? How is feeding your child unhealthy food and setting them up for teasing, health issues, etc any different?

That's apples and oranges. A parent abusing their kid is a little different that buying them Ding Dongs. While it's true that Ding Dongs aren't a healthy snack choice, it's not your problem.

Yes, parents should make good choices for THEIR kids, but it's not YOUR place to judge them.