How Can A Child Be At Blame?

Though obesity is the specified issue, the suggested solution also covers a wide variety of other issues that play a factor in obesity and that’s how is a great way to handle the situations presented. Each and every one of these has a different side of the argument but the goal is to convince that there is logical reasoning that children are have control over their decisions and thus their weight as well. Implementing some of these ideas can have positive effects not only on one’s children, but their siblings, cousins, friends, and also their own life because it creates some independence for the child to make the correct decisions. 

It’s no secret that businesses target children for their advertisements even if they claim they don’t. Mcdonalds sold ridiculously unhealthy apples with caramel to entice kids into begging their parents and keeping them there with their small jungle areas that the kids love to play in. Kids are learning every single day from their experience and though they may not fully understand right away it is something they can come to understand if their weight gets out of control and they find that they can’t do the things they used to be able to. They won’t understand that businesses are targeting them or if they do they won’t care because the product being displayed to them is what they want. However, they will be able to recognize that kids their own age treat them differently, “Children who were obese were 65 percent more likely to be bullied than their peers of normal weight; overweight kids were 13 percent more likely to be bullied.” That kid will also need larger clothing and notice that they can’t run as fast or for as long as they used to and should be able to understand that eating less unhealthy foods can help. What is important is that they don’t need the newest device or the cheesiest pizza to fulfill their wants and will come to the conclusion that a little resolve can lead to better things and a higher chance at a successful life. 

It’s human nature to pick what stimulates more and this applies to some adults too, but once the consequences become apparent it is up to the perpetrator to take responsibility for what they have done. The lack of impulse control is expected in a child and is unexpected of them to make the right choice every time, just like any adult, but to say that they are just children and don’t understand would be implying that a child can’t see that their clothes have grown and that they have gained weight. It’s important for them to go outside and play over sitting at home watching a YouTube video because it’s easier for them to make friends and keep active and for most kids they see a lot of fun in a friend to play with. Mayo Clinic has published an article saying that it is healthy to have a good friend because it keeps you in a good state of mind; if they like to play together then it will also keep them both physically active. There is the aspect of online games that they can play with their friends on but young children don’t want to spend all of their time on a game if their friends are playing outside. The claim that a child would rather play games than go outside is partially true because If a child enjoyed playing a game where you build things they would then be more inclined to building forts outside and creating their own games with them, which are fantastic memories for young kids and want more ideas that video games and Youtube provide them with. Kids can use the things they see on YouTube and in games to boost their imagination, but they do not want to limit themselves to the game.

The parents are to blame not the kids. It is true that parents have sway in how their kids act and turn out, but the parents aren’t the determinant and if their kid sees that the issues the control that the parents have over them will become an obstacle they are willing to climb over. For these children it is much harder for them to identify what is wrong because their parents are telling them wrong is right and right is wrong, but when the child can determine that not everything they’ve been told is true it is up to them to decide how their decisions will affect their future. Parents can’t always be around with work or present with the kids while they’re at school so the child naturally will gain independence and for those working parents who try to have an active role in their child’s life but their kid is still unhealthy it is because that kid doesn’t want to change despite having the tools they need for the change. Most parents would not force their kid to do something they absolutely don’t want to do unless the child needed to do it so a kid that is unhealthy and stays that way is more at fault than the parents who can’t get them to change.

Businessnesses advertise to children to get them to drag their parents there because the kids really liked what they saw and feel that they need to have it, but a parent can’t always give them what they want or have the time to take them and that spawns the independence that allows for a kid to make their own decisions. It is important to note that a child won’t understand the issues with obesity, but they will see the physical changes and if they do nothing they will see that later in life the consequences become more apparent and become deeper entrenched in their daily life. A child is a precious thing that should be cared for but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have their own thoughts and eyes to see a problem they can change.

References

Institute, O. M., Board, O. H. P. A. D., Food, A. N. B., & Committee, O. P. O. O. I. (2005). Preventing childhood obesity : Health in the balance. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com 

Committee, O. O. P. P. F., Institute, O. M., & Early, C. O. P. P. (2011). Early childhood obesity prevention policies. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Smith, C. (1999). Understanding childhood obesity. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

“Obese kids more vulnerable to bullies” Anne Harding, Health.com. 3 May 2010. 2 December 2020.

“Friendships: Enrich your life and improve your health” Mayo Clinic Staff. 24 August 2019. 2 Decemeber 2020.