Post updates
First, Ron weighs in here about being the straight man. Check out his new blog platform and resubscribe to his feed. I got smart this time and burned one at feedburner, so if it changes *again*, feed subscribers will never know. Also, I think now that he has his blog issues sorted out, he’ll post more. 
Next, the parent I posted about whose daughter had to count calories for school and obsess over her size heard back from the teacher. It didn’t clear things up at all.
Like I said in the comments below, I’m certainly not against teaching about a healthy diet. I *am* against giving kids more reasons to despair, hate themselves, and judge one another. There isn’t one single person reading this who *hasn’t* been taught the simple “eat less junk, move more often” at some point. If you don’t remember being taught the food pyramid or covering healthy eating choices in school – well, that shows just how effective that is, doesn’t it? Toss in some helicopter parenting and prepacked preserved goodies at every meal and no wonder society has issues.
And while I’m weighing in (heh) on ridiculous BMI charts, I have no shame in telling you that on a couple of them I’ve checked, my own stature comes in under morbidly obese. I’m the first to tell you I’m fluffy and comfy around the middle, but morbidly obese?
Gimmie a break.
If I weighed my “ideal” according to the charts, I’d be a freakin’ STICK. And I know, because I used to be one and thought I was fat. Let’s aim for somewhere in the middle. Let’s aim for being happy with the skin you’re in.
(and thanks for keeping it sane in the comments 
)
4 Responses to “Post updates”
Hope this isn’t going too off-tangent, but I see this as an underlying issue within the topic.
I think that kids already have enough to worry about. Younger kids trying to meet the approval of their parents, and older kids trying to fit in with their social groups. Then those social groups trying to emulate the grown up society, who are in turn lead by media persuasion.
I think this calories test has an underlying suggestion to follow the direction from the highest level of society, those with the most money at stake.
How about if we teach these kids how to think for themselves in every decision instead. To teach them about how and why they make their decisions, to be fully educated and able to make the best decisions for themselves, when they have to face the society controls later in life.
I can’t even understand the teacher’s first sentence!
I would say that “being happy with the skin you’re in” is much more important than weight. And I’m not just saying that because I’m fat.
I know exactly what happens to my weight when I am self-conscious, unhappy about my body, and obsess about everything I eat, and it’s not a good thing.
Imparting knowledge and helping the kids develop a healthy attitude toward their body, food, and exercise should be what the teacher is going for.
Right. Me too. For my height (4′9″) “they” want me to weigh 90 pounds. 90 POUNDS!!!! That is freaky. I weigh (when not pregnant) 125 ish. I have muscle and b**bs for goodness sake. I just hate when I go in for check ups and read all the literature about my range being obese. Freaky.
Did I say FREAKY.
Where did these people get these numbers anyway?