‘We received a letter. My daughter had some measurements at school and they concluded my daughter was overweight. SHE’S FOUR.’: Angry mom urges ‘let children to be children’

“We received a letter this morning… addressed to the parent/guardian of my daughter.

I started reading. The letter was from Virgincare.

The confusion started upon reading my daughter had undergone some weighing and measurement assessments at school. I didn’t remember agreeing to it. I would’ve told them NO, had I been aware of it.

In these assessments, Virgincare had drawn the conclusion my daughter was, in fact, overweight.

Lovely. What a lovely thing to be informed of on a drizzly, grey, Saturday morning.

Not because I’m concerned.
My daughter is a happy and healthy 4-year-old.
I’m going to repeat that last part.
FOUR. YEARS. OLD.

To be putting this s–t on children from as young as FOUR.

As if parents of this generation aren’t concerned enough about them heading into their teens having to view photoshopped to f–k Instagram photos of young men and women, making everyone feel inadequate.

We actually start that s–t from as young as four.

I’m angry. Not because I’m concerned, or blinded by love and adoration for my child and refusing to believe she’s overweight, but because it’s bulls–t.

I WANT her to be a child.
I WANT her to not give a flying f–k about her weight. Or her size. Or her figure.

SHE’S FOUR.

Whoever made the decision to run these measurement tests needs firing.
Failing that. Some serious education in eating disorders.

As a sufferer myself, I used to obsess over a number on the scale. And I will do everything I can to keep my daughter away from them…

To view foods as ‘good’ and ‘bad.’
To heavily restrict calories in order to lose weight, thus repeating an unhealthy cycle of undereating then binging.
To exercise as a punishment, rather than it being something that builds mental strength and clarity.

IT’S NOT HEALTHY.

Let children to be children.
Teach them the value of balance.

‘What’s in that letter mommy?’
‘Nothing darling. Nothing at all.’
*Scrunches up and puts in recycling.*

Overweight my ass.
Let them be kids.

‘Shall we go for pizza tonight darling?’
‘Pizza’s my favorite mommy!”

Yeah. I KNOW.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Kate Sillars of Mrs. Mombastic. You can follow her journey on Instagram and Facebook. Submit your own story  here, and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

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