Sad Observation by a 4 Year Old

Paddy's last day of PreK was Friday, so we decided to kick off summer vacation with a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo on Monday.  We invited a friend whose boys are grown, and has recently been feeling a little nostalgic about the Philly attractions that her kids used to enjoy.

Slathered in SPF 50 and armed with our packed snacks and lunches, we made our way past the giant tortoises, and through the primate house (yes, I do skip the reptile house, gross, that's for when daddy's with us).  Around the bears, we stopped in the shade for a snack, and then headed to see the animals of the plains.  By the time we came out from seeing the bunnies, ducks, and baby chicks, all of the walking had made us pretty hungry and we were ready for lunch.  Just outside of the kiddie zoo there is a big picnic area.  There is also a food stand*.  I use the term "food" loosely.  They serve hamburgers, foot-long hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, potato wedges (aka fries), and the other side has Icee's by the yard.  Besides the giant soft pretzel twists, there was not a thing remotely healthy on the menu.  This, besides the absurd prices, is why we pack our lunches.  To be honest, I don't even think that my kids would eat any of that stuff (I'm saying "stuff", what I really want to say is "garbage", oh, guess I just did).  Anyway, targeting kids outside of the petting zoo with junk food, isn't the point of the story...

During our lunch break, I had to take the Mickster to the bathroom, and left Paddy with our friend, Beth.  While I was gone, a group of Kindergartners had been seated at the tables around us.  Apparently, Paddy had been observing them, and one boy in particular.  He sadly referred to the boy in the green shirt (a 5 or 6 year old that easily weighed well over 100 lbs) and stated to Beth, "That boy is very fat."  On her own journey from health issues to fitness, Beth was interested to find out what else Paddy thought about the situation, and decided to pursue further conversation.  Paddy told Beth that he thought that the boy ate too much bad food, and that he probably didn't get much exercise.  He also said that he didn't think that the boy's mommy taught him about being healthy.  Am I proud of my son?  Absolutely.  Am I a little sad?  Yep.

It is good to know that I've instilled in my children the importance of healthy foods and physical activity.  It's amazing how much children absorb without us, as parents, actually having to point it out to them.  My heart breaks that more people don't take advantage of that, and teach their kids about healthy choices and back it up by setting a good example.  Yeah, that candy bar might put a smile on your kid's face now, and maybe they don't want to eat their veggies.  Yes, I know you don't want to hear them carry on or fight with them about food.  But...How do you think they'll feel when kids tease them about their weight?  How will you feel if you're giving them insulin to treat them for Type 2 Diabetes, or simply knowing that their little heart is weakening from having to work twice as hard to keep their body going.  Think twice about that toaster pastry and offer them some peanut butter on whole grain toast and a piece of fruit.  With childhood obesity completely out of control and Type 2 Diabetes steadily on the rise in the youth population, I urge parents to take control, because ultimately, it is on YOU...Even the 4 year old knows it.

*The Philadelphia Zoo does have a much smaller stand that offers what they consider to be healthier foods.