“You’re a big-fat-meany!” I overhear my six-year-old yelling at his older brother. Somehow, their peaceful game of chess has deteriorated into a power struggle. My nine-year-old is quick to fire back: “Yeah, we’ll you’re a big-fat-meany too! And who cares if we never play again!”
They’re in the living room, and I’m in the kitchen, separating chicken bones and gristle from meat to use for soup, so I holler to them: “hey guys, please work it out without name-calling.” After a short silence, I hear their voice tones start to soften. Still, I feel a mix of sadness and horror. While neither of them is overweight, studies suggest that a growing number of their peers are, or will be. And no doubt many of these kids face a lifetime of ridicule and derision as labels like “big,” “fat,” and the like become some of the most powerful put-downs.
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