Parenting can be incredibly difficult, especially in regards to sensitive subject matters like nutrition, weight, and a child’s overall health. While we all want our children to be healthy, it’s often easier said than done. Now, a dad is taking to social media to see if he was in the wrong for wanting to help his daughter get more active.
There is no denying this past year has taken a toll on everyone’s health — mental and physical.
My heart especially goes out to the young children — the change to their routine must have truly rocked their worlds.
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If us adults can hardly find the motivation to work out and be healthy, how can we expect kids to have it, either?
A dad is taking to the infamous AITA Reddit page to ask if he was in the wrong to encourage his daughter to exercise more.
“She’s a wonderful child,” he explained to the forum of his daughter, 12-year-old Susan. “When I met her mom, I did my very best to know Susan cause her dad isn’t in the picture and has no desire to be. I officially adopted her the day of our wedding and surprised her with so she knew I was now her dad and she was my daughter.”
He continued, sharing that the 12-year-old is “normally an active kid” but he’s “noticed she will stay on the couch all day watching TV, play video games or just do much of nothing,” since the pandemic and now summer vacation.
“Cause of this she is gaining very noticeable weight. I spoke to my wife about it but she says Susan is fine and its summer so its ok if she wants to watch tv and eat junk food,” he continued, explaining that he understands the mentality, but doesn’t want their daughter to form an “unhealthy habit.”
In an effort to get Susan moving, he created a “father daughter walk to get her moving a bit.”
The 34-year-old explained that he didn’t talk to his daughter about her weight. Instead, he created this as an activity for them to do together —”We talk about the day, what’s going on, things we would like to do, and so on for 30 minutes.”
As it turns out, things have been going great! “Slowly I turned the walk into a jog then a run. Susan struggled some at first but now she can keep up with me,” he explained.
“I love it since she is getting a bit of workout everyday and I get to spend time with her.”
As it turns out, the man’s wife isn’t thrilled with the pair’s new routine.
“She confronted me saying I was fat shaming our daughter and forcing her to exercise when she’s a kid! Kids are supposed to watch tv and eat junk food!” he explained, adding: “She’s telling Susan she doesn’t have to come for a run with me, buys large amounts of Susan’s favorite snacks and is encouraging her to binge watch tv and ‘just be a kid.”
“She says I’m trying to push lifestyle habits onto my daughter and I’m embarrassed of her!” he continued, insisting that that’s not the case.
“It led to a couple arguments and now she’s saying she might send Susan to go stay with her grandparents for the rest of the summer. I’m just trying to help her become more active.”
He clarified that he never forces Susan to go and that he always prioritizes her feelings.
“I don’t force her to come with me,” he wrote. “Things moved from there and now Susan can run circles around,” he shared. “She’ll even call me an old man if I don’t keep up.”
“I honestly don’t know where my wife is getting the idea I am forcing Susan or shaming her,” he concluded, adding: “Yes its normal for kids to want sweets and watch tv but its also normal for them to play and exercise. I just don’t want Susan to sit in one spot all summer.”
I think it’s clear the dad is just trying to bring some life back into their daughter, and as long as she’s enjoying it there’s no harm in that!
