Your fat kid ain't yours no more...
The Nanny State advances here in Texas: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/moms/7650292.html
Yes, there are parents who should get japslapped upside the head for their kids being so fat. As am example: My oldest son was extremely obese during his preteen years, "Mom" did zippo to control his weight (we were divorced way before his weight zoomed upwards). I held my tongue because that was all I could do. That and attempt to feed him something besides junk on the weekends he was with me. It's a long story and thankfully it happened a very long time ago. Last thing I knew, he was 26 and no longer outlandishly obese (have you ever seen someone run and when they came to a halt it took almost a minute for them to stop jiggling?).
But getting the state involved is just trying to have two wrongs make a right. It doesn't serve the kid any good to take him from his parents under these circumstances. None at all.
As with other problems, it's all about our cultural mindset. Take away the habit of eating at restaurants, encourage more physical activity and this problem will diminish in size.
But if we routinely allow the nannystate to get involved then we'll see the same scenario that often played out in the military some years back when they tried having more sailors slim down to a reasonable size. The methods used were prone to error, the height-to-weight standards being the prime example. You could have an athletic weight lifter who weighed well over the norm for his height, yet was slim and trim. Didn't matter, it would be entered in his record that he wasn't meeting the standards. That could affect getting promoted, consideration for certain types of duty, etc. I was fortunate, I always exceeded those standards but the commands I was at didn't give a rip. I just had to do my job.
Anyway, my point is if we let the nannystaters start dictating how much a kid should weigh under penalty of his removal from the family, we'll see a slew of abuses with the system.
Whats the solution? I dunno, but I know this isn't it.
7 comments:
The solution? Stop welfare. I'm being serious. Too many people have grown up expecting that if there's a problem (no money, no food, and no boss) that it's the state's job to fix it. It isn't!
But, welfare is a sacred cow in this country. Too many people are against it in theory, but if they need it, it's for a legitimate reason. (Kinda like how some people view abortion.)
We have mandatory BMI reporting here. It's ridiculous. And expensive. Last year was the first year and it was frustrating. I forget where I heard this, but it is so true. "No child's behind left alone."
I'm with you on the issue. But it is worrisome when a kid is 10 years old and weighs 400+ pounds. I understand why the "state" could consider that child abuse. What to do? I have no idea...
Ranter, looking at the ethnic groups with the highest rates of obesity justifies your suggestion. But as you say, welfare is a sacred cow.
Stacy, LOL! It would be even funnier if it wasn't so true.
Adrienne, it's a problem needing a solution alright. But not the solution proposed.
I would say Ranter is right. Stop welfare. For a different reason than just government dependence: Welfare recipients do not make healthy food choices. At least with WIC they have to buy certain foods and those foods tend to be healthier than the foods from food stamps.
And unhealthy diets lead to obesity....
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