the biting truth

 

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

i am so flat

"You're flat," he told my sister.

"What?" she said.

"Flat.. Right here," my five-year-old son waved his hand over my sisters belly.

He was trying to use his new word, "fat".

You see, "fat" is a bad word around our house. Actually, it is simply a word we don't say. Unless we're talking to each other. Two fatties. Otherwise, the word is off limits. We don't say the caterpillar is fat. We don't say that man is fat. We just don't say "fat".

My son learned the word fat when my hubby slipped up [he is not really aware of our unspoken word. He's not fat.] and called the dog "fat". Son tried the word out with his aunt. [While, he was trying to use the new word. Flat versus fat.] She didn't like it.

So, Son and I had a talk about fat. About being fat. And saying fat. [Not flat.]

"See, Honey, Mom's fat." I confessed, ashamed.

He studied me. My rolly belly. My huge boobs. Yes, I was, undeniably fat.

"Why are you fat, Mommy?"

Time for raw honesty. I took a deep breath. "Because I eat too much and don't exercise enough." There, I said it. I felt so ashamed. Now, he knew.

"I'm not fat," he said.

"No, praise God, you're not."

"You wanna know why?"

"Pray tell, why?"

" 'Cause I go like this," he said and pumped his arms up and down in the air. "I go like this whenever I'm watching TV. I exercise!" Then he proceeded to exercise his way all around the kitchen and the dining room and the living room. Yes, I suppose, that is one wonderful reason why he is not fat. Like his mother.

So, now my oldest knows his mother is flat, er, fat.

5 comments:

Lynne said...

I think he just challenged you, lol. Loved the post. Hang in there!

Alicia said...

Oh I know that feeling! We banned fat from our vocabulary because one time my daughter said "look Mommy, that girl is fat like you!" I was crushed and a little upset but I have to face reality. I am fat...its my own fault. And its time to do something about it. I am starting to walk a whole lot more than what I am use to so hopefully that will help out some!

Stephanie @ dirtandlace.com said...

You did such a beautiful job explaining to him matter-of-factly. We don't say fat either, although my girls are too young to know that yet.

Chubbie Chica said...

Yes - we do not use that word around our house either! Instead we use "fluffy"!

Nicole Leifson - Jensen said...

I really don't think there is any way for it to NOT hurt when one of the kids calls us FAT. I wish I could talk to you face to face, could you read my post about weight and how we can teach our kids to love...whatever?
http://goodfamilyliving.blogspot.com/search/label/God%27s%20Children
Some things we have to talk about, even when it hurts our world-bruised soul. :)