I went to my doctor earlier this week for my annual physical. It was a typical exam. I peed in a cup, he did an EKG, he checked my blood pressure, and he listened to my heartbeat. They were all healthy and normal thankfully.

Then the doctor told me to get on the scale and I weighed 205. It was 5 pounds lower than I had weighed last year, and exactly the same weight I had been 8 years earlier. It made me pretty happy until I sat down in his office. He wanted me closer to 195. Why you may ask? He just felt given my height it would be a better weight.

Throughout my life I have been told by different people starting with my parents that if I lost that elusuve last 10 pounds I would be the ideal weight. It’s especially hard as an adolescent to feel fat or “not right” in your parent’s eyes. I know they think they are saying it out of love but, take it from me, it doesn’t come across that way when your a teenager. Those formative years are important for a child to develop a level of positive self esteem. The less said about a child’s looks, weight, or height the better. I have been guilty at times with my own kids saying too much about those qualities. It’s destructive. I’m a great example on how it affects a person even at 55 years of age. It still bothers me today.

There are plenty of people in the world who suffer from low self-esteem issues caused by how their parents talked about them when they were very young. If you’re one of the victims and have kids today or in the future, break the mold. Don’t do it! When your kids are adults they will thank you for it.