Mark your calendars! July 28th starts a week long, red-hot launch week! Grab your confetti — it’s time to celebrate! Prizes, giveaways, surprises, & more! Woo Hoo!
Hey Friends!
A good friend bumped into me while I was out and about last week. After a few minutes of pleasantries, she leaned in and whispered, “How are things with your girls? Everything ok?”
I knew what she was asking. You may remember, last year one of my young daughters decided she didn’t want to be “fat” and stopped eating. Completely.
Unfortunately it happened again. (Recap here and here).
Thankfully this daughter is doing better (for today) ~ but trust me, this mama bear is keeping a very close eye on the situation.
HOWEVER….I AM SPITTIN’ MAD AND FED UP WITH THIS WHOLE “FAT TALK” JUNK.
You see, recently my daughter (the one who has wrestled with eating stuff in the past) came and told me that my other daughter said kids were teasing her at school. Now I ask all kinds of questions – and often – and this has never ever come up. I was shocked!
I immediately sat with my other daughter and asked her about what I had just learned. She shared through big wet crocodile tears that kids tease her and call her FAT all the time. At school. In the neighborhood. On the bus.
When I asked, “Can you tell me more?” ~ she shared name after name after name of kids – boys and girls – who have been calling her fat over the past year.
Can you even imagine?! My heart was shattered in a million pieces for my daughter and the horrible hurts she’s been carrying.
Later that night I went for a walk with my young son and was telling him what I learned. I asked him if he had heard his sister being teased, and wondered if there was more I should know. I was not prepared for what he would share. My son said..
“I haven’t heard her get teased, but kids call me fat all the time, so I’m used to it.”
Are you kidding me?? Not only is my daughter being teased, but also my son?! My athletic, healthy, hockey playing son – is being called FAT so much at school that he’s just used to it??!
Oh Lord, help us all!
- You’ve heard me rant and rave how Fat Talk has impacted my life – recap here
- You’ve heard me share ideas of how we CAN live without Fat Talk – recap here
- You’ve heard me share how Fat Talk has impacted my family – recap here
- You’ve heard me passionately share my heart on the radio – recap here
But I am now more FIRED UP than ever to be a voice of TRUTH in this media-driven, air brushed, vanity infused culture. Will you join me? Please?
For starters, let’s begin with us.
May we look in the mirror and declare, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am beautiful – just the way that I am.”
Not focusing on our imperfections, but extending grace and acceptance to how God has made us (yes, that includes muffin tops, small chests, large chests, flappy arms or whatever “problem areas” you focus on!)
Then TODAY let’s remind one person (or more, but even one person would be a blessing) that they are BEAUTIFUL based on their heart and their character, and not the size of their jeans.
And for those of us with children, may we all remind our kids to be NICE, and LOVING, and that mean words HURT. Kindness does count.
And what if we all decided to take FAT TALK out of our vocabulary.
Please?? Pretty please???
Let’s End Fat Talk together!
What about for you?? How do you stay healthy and Truth filled in this area? Have your kids wrestled with this before? Any tips for me – please?! I would love to hear from you!
Thanks for stopping by *She Sparkles*. God’s richest blessings to you!
…repost from the archives
I am so sorry to hear about how your daughters and being teased, and shocked to hear that it is happening to your son as well. I know this is an issue that we all struggle with in our fallen state. I wish I had some advice to help you with your children, but you already have the answer. Knowing who we are in Christ is the only way we find value in ourselves. Nothing has changed my outlook on my physical appearance like the reminder that I was created by the God of the universe Himself! Thank you for this reminder of how powerful our words are – for good and for bad. I will be praying for your family.