OK everybody has a problem with photographs. Unless you are a photographers dream or the latest supermodel we all have a problem with our photographic image. We have our good days of course but poor lighting, poor complexion, red eye and a long list of problems may cause us concern when we see our image in all its glory It is said a picture tells a thousand words. If it is true pictures of fat kids still tells a thousand words, a thousand often-unpleasant words.
If the picture is one of you or your family how does it make you feel? People say lots of things when looking at a picture or photograph "isn't that cute", "what a great smile", "don't they look so happy" etc etc. however it matters little what they say out a loud most would agree that it is not right to see pictures of fat kids. Fat kids do not look healthy, they don't look right to the eye. Cruel yes but the truth sometimes is.
When looking back through your family album you may come across these same photographs of you or your family and you say to yourself "boy was I a chubby kid", "look at that puppy fat". That's great if you have since moved on and shed this image. Maybe it was just a short phase that you grew out of, a growth spurt maybe! The problem at the moment is that in the 21st century the chances of seeing a family picture without some fat or overweight people in the frame is getting ever more difficult to find. The statistics are coming ever more frequent and the trends are all going the same way. That way is up. The average weight is going up especially for our children. Not just up but substantially so, up to the point where it is common to hear words like obese, clinically obese and life threatening in the same sentence. Also equally alarming these statistics also show that kids that reach these proportions are more and more likely to remain so in their adult life and so attracting all the ailments and problems that come with it.
What causes this to happen you may ask, it didn't happen when you were a kid. Rose tinted spectacles may cloud our memories but things are different today, very different. Children in the 21st century live a completely different lifestyle to that of their parents. In just one generation of a family the world of the child has changed dramatically. Just look at some of the inventions that have made yours and my kids lives so effortless. The cell phone, remote controls, Internet chat rooms and the WWW, convenience foods, the play station, fast food/poor quality food and 24-hour access to virtually everything. Is it any surprise that the amount of energy we exert in our every day activities is dropping so much. As parents we can no longer expect our kids to be energetic, its not part of their lifestyle. We cannot leave it to our schools, after all lack of exercise and poor nutrition is one of our main complaints with our education authorities. As parents we need to take the lead when it comes to our children. We need to take stock of our family life and look at how our kids get their references and influences. We send them to school for their learning but by far the majority of their education comes from the family and their peers. It's informal, continuous, visual, emotional and very powerful. With all the distractions in this world how often do you hear people say" he's just like his old man or "like mother like daughter. As parents you need to take the lead and get your kids back into shape. You need to influence their diet their activity levels and provide their motivation. Here are 3 great ways to make a powerful impact 1/ Eat more healthy food in the house (5 portions of fruit or vegetable a day)
2/take regular exercise (30 - 60 minutes of fairly vigorous exercise 5 days per week)
3/ Lead by example, educate your self then educate your children
Did you know that many children at age 12 do not know where their food originates? Start today to make a difference to your self and your charges. As an adult you must take responsibility for yourself and your actions, you must also be responsible for your children. What will people make of your family album in the years to come? It matters little what the content of the photo may be, the obvious enjoyment or the significance of the surroundings. People will see pictures of fat kids even if they are also overweight, regardless of what they tell you.
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