Parents of Obese Children Guilty of Child Abuse
People in the UK are getting fatter. There can’t be many in the UK who have not seen the increasing number of enormously overweight children, waddling alongside their equally obese parents. The number of clinically obese children in the UK is increasing at such a rate that the government has taken steps to halt the year on year increase by the year 2010. I wish them luck but I think that radical measures are called for.
Is it child abuse to feed a child until he or she is obese? Of course it is. Being a parent is a responsibility which many do not appear to have fully grasped. Perhaps imprisoning a few for setting their kids on a path towards heart disease, type 2 diabetes, premature death and a massive burden on the health service would make it more clear.
Example Setting
The problem is not the children, it is the fat, lazy parents. If the most significant person in a child’s life cannot display adequate self-control, if they persist in stuffing their fat faces with nothing but unhealthy food, slobbing out on the settee and never taking any exercise it’s not surprising that their offspring will follow their disgraceful example.
It is these examples set by parents that are the most influential in a child’s development. It’s no good if a parent tells a child that they mustn’t eat too much tempting but unhealthy food and then giving in to that temptation themselves.
Managing Temptation
We are all subject to the temptation presented by fast food, cakes, crisps and ice cream. Yet some manage to resist these temptations. It’s a parent’s responsibility to demonstrate self-control thereby encouraging their children to do the same. Children need to be taught that establishing good eating habits will help them to lead healthy, happy and complete lives, and parents who are not capable of doing this shouldn’t be parents.
Are you a child abuser?
Are you looking for a great way for your children to get some exercise while having fun? A mini trampoline in your garden could be just what you need.
