Re: The toll on families - siblings

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I just wanted to comment on the effect on siblings thread that's

being discussed now...

My sister (Aimee) is 3 years younger than me, and while my parents

never made a big deal about my being short, I know my sister has been

affected by others' comments. Since she weighed 9.5 lbs at birth,

she's been bigger than me most of her life! When I was 9 and

shopping for clothing WITHOUT cartoon characters, she was 6 and

couldn't fit into those " cool " (in her opinion!) clothes anymore. I

was always labelled " cute " (ugh), which I think in her opinion left

her as the " not-cute " one. My size has always made me memorable to

strangers, teachers, etc, etc, and I think Aimee has often felt

forgetable (which is ironic since she's way more outgoing than I

am). I've never had a weight problem (yet) even though I eat most

anything I want. I think Aimee sees that as the norm, and is very

upset that her vegetarian diet still adds pounds. I don't think she

ever forgave my grandmother for taking us shopping and buying me a

shirt that showed my midrif (hey, it was the early '90s!) while

telling her that a longer skirt would be more appropriate to cover

her thighs... Yikes!

I don't have any brilliant parenting advice for anyone, but just

wanted to encourage everyone to continue to praise your other (non-

RSS) kids and make sure that they know that there are " special "

things about each one of them too!!

-Ana

27, RSS, 4'8 " (and 'big' sister to Aimee, who still wants to mother

me, and my father, and her friends........)

[Guest guest]

Ana

You have pointed one thing I am already facing a little. I have a 7

year old who is big (over the 97% in both weight and height, but

higher in the weight chart) and a 2 yr SGA (undiagnozed) who is way

down there below the lowest curve. As our older duaghter is border

line overweight we watch what she eats quite strictly, limiting high

calorie foods, junk foods and snacks etc. And as our younger one gets

older we will be doing the opposite for her I am worried about the

psychological effect on her. I was wondering if anyone else has two

child in the two opposite spectrums with one trying to loose weight

another trying to put on weight.

Sabina mother of Ramee (7 yrs, 81 lbs, 51 inches) and Naomi (2 yrs,

16 lbs, 26 inches!!)

>

> >

> > Hi all,

> >

> > I just wanted to comment on the effect on siblings

> > thread that's

> > being discussed now...

> >

> > My sister (Aimee) is 3 years younger than me, and

> > while my parents

> > never made a big deal about my being short, I know

> > my sister has been

> > affected by others' comments. Since she weighed 9.5

> > lbs at birth,

> > she's been bigger than me most of her life! When I

> > was 9 and

> > shopping for clothing WITHOUT cartoon characters,

> > she was 6 and

> > couldn't fit into those " cool " (in her opinion!)

> > clothes anymore. I

> > was always labelled " cute " (ugh), which I think in

> > her opinion left

> > her as the " not-cute " one. My size has always made

> > me memorable to

> > strangers, teachers, etc, etc, and I think Aimee has

> > often felt

> > forgetable (which is ironic since she's way more

> > outgoing than I

> > am). I've never had a weight problem (yet) even

> > though I eat most

> > anything I want. I think Aimee sees that as the

> > norm, and is very

> > upset that her vegetarian diet still adds pounds. I

> > don't think she

> > ever forgave my grandmother for taking us shopping

> > and buying me a

> > shirt that showed my midrif (hey, it was the early

> > '90s!) while

> > telling her that a longer skirt would be more

> > appropriate to cover

> > her thighs... Yikes!

> >

> > I don't have any brilliant parenting advice for

> > anyone, but just

> > wanted to encourage everyone to continue to praise

> > your other (non-

> > RSS) kids and make sure that they know that there

> > are " special "

> > things about each one of them too!!

> >

> > -Ana

> > 27, RSS, 4'8 " (and 'big' sister to Aimee, who still

> > wants to mother

> > me, and my father, and her friends........)

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sabina,

I have that with my twins. Becca is in the 33% for height and the

75% for weight, while is RSS. We keep high calorie snacks in

the house for but we don't want Becca to eat it. What we do

is offer Becca fruit (which she loves thankfully) and vegetables and

cheese sticks first. If she really wants that cookie, we let her

have it afterwards.

Good luck,

Judith, Steve, (RSS) and (non RSS) 4 1/2 year old twins