It hit me the other day when I was talking to my eight year old daughter: She is obsessed with her weight! I have noticed that her opinion of herself is rather low. I have always encouraged my children to be happy with who they are, so how could this have happened? During the course of our conversation, she said some things that really threw up a red flag for me. For instance, I told her how beautiful she is, and she came back with, "Thank you, but I'm too fat."

When I was her age, I was not concerned with my weight or overeating. Is it just me or are children becoming more obsessed with weight and image issues at an earlier age? After discussing the topic with her, she let me know that she intends to diet. This is something that I will not allow! However, I cannot force-feed her, and she has decided to take smaller portions at meal time.

Do children as young as she begin showing signs of eating disorders? I am believing that this is the case. So, how do our children reach the conclusion at such a young age that they are too fat? People blame society and claim that seeing actresses, models, performers of any kind are all thin and it's making the youth of the nation feel that they must be too. I could go along with that, but at this time, there are many more overweight celebrities than there were in years past. They are beautiful, intelligent, thriving women. So, this really cannot be the case, can it?

In schools, the children get an education in healthy eating habits, and this is meant to supplement what we, as parents, should have already taught them. Do these lectures make children feel as if they are fat because they eat Cocoa Puffs at the breakfast table occasionally? I am unsure, but I think it also lends to the notions of these youngsters.

Does it lie with the parents themselves? Do our children look at us and say to themselves that they don't want to be fat like Mommy or Daddy? I think we can be partially to blame. And sadly, there are some parents who make their children feel bad about asking for an extra helping at dinner time.

There needs to be a viable solution to this dilemma. Girls and boys should not feel they are inferior due to their weight. All parents, be sure to tell your children daily that you love them just the way they are. Chances are, even the smaller ones may already be worrying about obesity and their body image. Talk to your child today, please, and discuss these matters. You may not think that there is a problem, but maybe they are not opening up about it. Let's be sure to try to keep our children open and communicating and start at an early age.

Learn more about this author, Laura Reed.
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