Family matters....

This morning my 6 year old say 2 words that when I heard them, I almost tripped over my own feet. She said about herself, “I’m chubby”. I asked her what did she say and she thought she was in trouble so she said, “I’m thin” to try to counteract her words.


Ugggh. I told her that first she isn’t chubby, and if she were that is okay because nothing is wrong with that body type. Then I told her, “In our household, we don’t use words towards each others that might make someone feel bad including ourselves”. She said, “I know Mom, we like others for what is on the inside of us, not the outside”.

I’m dumbfounded on what to say to my own child. You put her in front of me and throw in the word eating disorder and I’m frozen with fear on what to say and what to do next. Never mind how long I’ve been in recovery or what knowledge on the subject I have, I just don’t know what to say when it comes to my own daughter. I think I’m too close to the situation. Also, I’m so sensitive on the subject as I’m sure we all are who have/had eating disorders.

I need an owner’s manual for dealing with raising my daughter for someone who has/had an eating disorder. I have to say, this isn’t about me anymore…this is a family issue. I guess I always knew that this disease effects the whole family but I’m starting to see close at hand just how much of a family issue it is when I can’t tell the difference between normal developments and a potential eating disorders brewing up behind the scenes.

Oh, the work in recovery never ends…..which is fine, I’m not complaining. I just haven’t taken recovery from this angle yet. I feel like I have tried every other angle that is possibly known, whether it’s professional or self help but I haven’t looked at recovery from this angle yet. Maybe I’ll find out more about my eating disorder while I’m trying to deal with raising my daughter in our household. The same household that doesn’t use bad words towards each other that might make someone feel bad. God help me with this. Seriously.