Google News on October 30, 2013 published the following:
Kids getting ‘you’re fat’ letters this Halloween
8:15 am October
30, 2013, by George Mathis
Unhappy Halloween! (image from
valleynewslive.com)
The Grinch may have stolen Christmas, but he put everything back before the
heavy sleepers of Whoville bothered to crawl out of bed.
Residents of Fargo, North Dakota, who are used to cruel winters more than
cruel neighbors, aren’t that lucky.
A woman there tells a local radio station she plans to
trick obese children by giving them warning letters instead of treats Thursday
night.
There’s no word on whether she plans to give slim kids double candy.
The letter written by a woman identified only as Cheryl is making the rounds
on social media. It features a smiling jack-o-lantern and a note to parents that
says “you [sic] child is, in my opinion, moderately obese and should not be
consuming sweets and treats to the extent of other children this Halloween
season.”
This is one of the rare times I am hoping children can’t read.
Cheryl, in a radio interview, said, “I just want to send a message to the
parents of kids that are really overweight. … I think it’s just really
irresponsible of parents to send them out looking for free candy just ’cause
all the other kids are doing it.”
Perhaps it is irresponsible, but one night of being mean to kids isn’t going
to cure childhood obesity.
North Dakota State Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology Dr. Katie
Gordon studies eating disorders and says the letter might hurt more than
help.
“It’s just that kind of thing that for some kids, if they’re vulnerable,
might trigger major problems,”she says.
Instead of handing out nasty notes, Cheryl could hand out raisins or
something else more nutritious than candy. Or she could just turn off her
porch light.
In a more perfect world, her neighbors would be handing out eggs.
Kids getting ‘you’re fat’ letters this Halloween
8:15 am October
30, 2013, by George Mathis
Unhappy Halloween! (image from
valleynewslive.com)
The Grinch may have stolen Christmas, but he put everything back before the
heavy sleepers of Whoville bothered to crawl out of bed.
Residents of Fargo, North Dakota, who are used to cruel winters more than
cruel neighbors, aren’t that lucky.
A woman there tells a local radio station she plans to
trick obese children by giving them warning letters instead of treats Thursday
night.
There’s no word on whether she plans to give slim kids double candy.
The letter written by a woman identified only as Cheryl is making the rounds
on social media. It features a smiling jack-o-lantern and a note to parents that
says “you [sic] child is, in my opinion, moderately obese and should not be
consuming sweets and treats to the extent of other children this Halloween
season.”
This is one of the rare times I am hoping children can’t read.
Cheryl, in a radio interview, said, “I just want to send a message to the
parents of kids that are really overweight. … I think it’s just really
irresponsible of parents to send them out looking for free candy just ’cause
all the other kids are doing it.”
Perhaps it is irresponsible, but one night of being mean to kids isn’t going
to cure childhood obesity.
North Dakota State Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology Dr. Katie
Gordon studies eating disorders and says the letter might hurt more than
help.
“It’s just that kind of thing that for some kids, if they’re vulnerable,
might trigger major problems,”she says.
Instead of handing out nasty notes, Cheryl could hand out raisins or
something else more nutritious than candy. Or she could just turn off her
porch light.
In a more perfect world, her neighbors would be handing out eggs.
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