First, I just have to say that I am extremely happy to report 2 important milestones this week with my weight loss. I reached 40 lbs lost! Not only is that 40 lbs, but it's 25 lbs for 2013 - my halfway mark. I was really concerned that I wouldn't hit 25 lbs by the end of June, so it was a relief. I probably have my salad kick I'm on to credit for that... I love salads and it's just so much easier in the summer.
Now, lets talk about my kids' weights.
In Arkansas, the law for booster seats is that they must remain in one until they are at least 6 years old AND 60 lbs. Olivia, being the walking stick figure she is, is 8 and not even close to 60 lbs. I don't know her exact weight, but I believe the last time she was in the lower 50s. The newest recommendations by the powers that be is that kids remain in boosters until they are 4'9" and 100 lbs. 4'9" is nothing new, but 100 lbs??? Olivia will be learning to drive in a booster seat at the rate she gains weight!
Isabelle decided to get on the scale today and she weighs in right at 60 lbs. She is super excited.... she knows the law is 60 lbs and she's 7, so she can legally ride without a booster.
I'm not sure yet if I'll let her, though. Olivia will be devastated to still be in a booster while her younger sister rides without. I know some people would tell me I'm stupid for entertaining the idea since they aren't tall enough or weigh enough for the newest recommendations. But here's the thing... while I believe in safety, I also believe there is a line that gets crossed into being just too over-protective.
Is it safer? Certainly. If we're going for ultimate safety, they shouldn't be in vehicles at all. Unpractical, yes, but we're talking safety, right?. Why are we not all using 5 point harness systems and helmets in the car? That would be safer, too. Is that silly? Where's the line between being as safe as possible and being ridiculous? I happen to think it's before 100 lbs, myself.
Yes, people can show me all sorts of videos and pictures of kids' injuries saying "this is what can happen without a proper booster." But can you tell me, without a doubt, that the same injuries can be avoided with one? Show me the pictures of a kid who better survived an identical crash, and I do mean identical - same cars, same conditions, same speeds, etc. You can't. Because there are so many variables to each and every accident. I don't buy into the scare tactics of die-hard car seat advocates, or anyone for that matter. If I responded to things like that, I'd never eat, or leave the house, or touch anything without gloves. Danger lurks in every corner for some people. I can't live like that.
So, yeah, I'm just generally not a paranoid person. I don't even mind my kids riding around the driveway on their bikes or scooters without helmets or pads. I guess I'm just not one of those people who feel that they have to try to remove all risk from their children's lives. We all have our own limit to the risks we're willing to take, and I know some people would consider me terrible for being willing to take more risks on my children's lives than they would, but I'm not strapping them to the luggage rack, OK?
And another weight issue.... My Zoe. Isabelle weighed 60 lbs today. Zoe weighed 61. A year and a half younger, several inches shorter. Isabelle is not the stick figure Olivia is. She's a solid child. So Zoe weighing more than her definitely is not a good thing. We've had problems lately because Zoe's having trouble finding clothes that fit her.... clothes that fit her sisters are now becoming too small for her. This is BAD. I'm really concerned about her weight, but I'm also concerned about how this is going to affect her self-esteem if we can't get this under control... and I need to make sure that I'm not doing damage there myself with how we get it under control.
I try to limit snacks, but my kids will sneak food. All three of them can be found at any time munching on dry cereal that they stole out from under my nose. And if I manage to keep them from eating nonstop, there's the issue that I'm not the one in charge all day... Daddy's not quite as observant. But obviously we have to control this somehow. I really hate locking up food so I can control them, but I'm kind of at a loss right now. It's one of those things were I don't want to give them food issues later in life, but I have to do something.
I try to keep them active, as well, but they HATE it. I guess I need to get more creative and make it seem less like exercise and more like fun. We go for a walk on Wednesdays, usually between 1-2 miles. They act like I'm killing them. It's embarrassing, really. It's been unanimously decided among them that they HATE Wednesday. I don't plan on stopping though.
Anyway, I need to really figure this out. I think they're about to start going to day camp a few days a week and that should help some... they won't be home to snack all day and they'll be more active, I'm sure.
Ah, the fun of parenthood... always walking that thin line between screwing your kids up for life and molding good kids. Good thing that I believe being a little screwy is a good thing...
Neither of my children are at all overweight; but I have a little boy (he's 6) who does sports four times a week and would rather eat vegetables than chocolate, and a 9 year old girl who would eat cake until she exploded if I let her and doesn't like exercise. She's slender now but I worry about what will happen when she hits puberty. She is mini-me, and that is when I got chubby instead of looking like an abandoned waif.
ReplyDeleteI guess we work on making exercise fun for her. She loves her dance class and swimming lesson, so that is a great start. All their activities get very expensive though! Daddy takes then on their bike or scooter for a ride on the weekend, but they usually end up at the corner store getting a treat. She doesn't join in much in the active Xbox games we play.
I know I feel like my mum worried about my weight more than I did/do and I don't want to make her mistakes. Very tricky!