Fat vs. FAT

As we were eating our low-carb baked chicken artichoke dinner tonight, my 6-year-old daughter wrinkled her forehead and stated, "I feel fat."

Oh, boy, I thought, glancing quickly away from her slender frame. How do I handle this one?

We have always tried to focus our children away from body image and toward a healthful lifestyle. In other words, instead of saying, "Don't eat that cake because you'll get fat," we commend the children for making healthy eating and exercise choices. If we absolutely have to, we'll condemn cake "because too much is unhealthy and will make you feel sluggish."

Yet my daughters still often use the "F" word. (The three-letter "F" word, of course.)

So while I was formulating a response, my daughter slid her fingers between her teeth and grabbed a chunk of chicken fat. She placed it on the plate and said, "There. That's better."

Whew. She narrowly missed a lecture!

The Bible admonishes us to not exasperate our children, to not worry about what we will eat or what we will wear, and to love one another as we love ourselves.

So, how do you handle body image issues with your children?