To refuse to read this book to DD aged 4?

[Happyland8]

I know the Jill Murphy, The Large Family books are much loved and much though I like the others, I just can't bring myself to read "A Piece Of Cake" to my DD. We started reading it last night and I stopped on page 1 and said we'd do a different book.

DD is quite naive (as are most kids of that age). She understands about the importance of having a balanced diet in the sense that some foods are healthy and others are unhealthy. She knows we should eat lots of the healthy and a little bit of the unhealthy.

I'm very careful about what I say in front of DD, for example, if I wasn't feeling great about my size, I wouldn't say "I look/feel fat".

I've read this whole book and really dislike the message it sends. The Mum decides she's fat, the family go on a diet and then in the end they eat the cake and decide that elephants are meant to be fat. AIBU? Or is this not a great message to be sending to children? I've attached the first 2 pages and the last page.

I wouldn’t read that to my kids.

My 4 year old dd loves this book

Get a grip. She'll likely come across much worse in life than this book.

I loved this book as a child and it hasn't messed me up! I have a very healthy relationship with food and am a normal size. What you do in your home as parents, eating well together etc, has a much bigger effect.

I think it's fine. The message it sends is that it's not the end of the world to be fat and I agree.
I don't really agree either that some food is inherently unhealthy (unless it is spoiled or poisoned).

This book has nothing on this one: www.amazon.co.uk/Postman-Pat-Gets-Beginner-Readers/dp/0590138782?tag=mumsnetforum-21

Postman Pat spends a week stuffing his face, can't fit into his suit for church, then spends the next week telling all the feeders in Greendale "no thanks, I'm slimming" whenever they try to give him cake, then presto it's Sunday again and the suit fits. It's very unrealistic but hilarious.

Yanbu. We give that one a swerve too. I don't like the way the mum is getting the children involved with her weight issues.

You are over thinking this. It's just a child's book. Your DD wouldn't think about any message you think it's giving children.
My 3 DDs loved this book when they were children. They are now 3 normal grown up young ladies and eat perfectly normally

Tbh everytime i read it i just really want cake ...

What a fantastically messed up moral of the story! Made me laugh! They're not really so PC these books when I come to think about it. I remember reading "One Minute's Peace", massively identifying and the children timidly saying that "our mummy likes being with us though, don't you mum?" yes, but no, but of course!

I don't see the AIBU. It's a book. A choice. Read it or don't. Nobody is saying you SHOULD read it, if they were that would BU.

Now I want 🍰

I don't see what the issue is with it tbh?

Yes, ‘Five Minutes Peace’, which my dh refers to as ‘Fuck off Kids’ (not in front of the dc, obviously!).

I don't really agree either that some food is inherently unhealthy (unless it is spoiled or poisoned).

I agree with this in all honesty. I've taught DD that there aren't foods we can't eat, it's all about having a balance.

I think my issue is the Mum saying she's fat. As I said, DD is quite naive and she hasn't really been exposed to people calling themselves fat. She also has no clue as to being fat or thin being right or wrong. All I've told her is, having a balanced diet keeps us healthy. She hasn't made a connection between being healthy and weight. She doesn't see being fat as something undesirable. I remember being 10 or 11 and thinking I was fat when, on reflection, I was very slim. My mum often talked about being fat and I suppose I grew up always feeling quite conscious of if I looked fat or thin. I just don't think that's something a 4 year old should be thinking about.

I love Jill Murphy books... but I actually chucked this very book recently. Not a message I want to be reading to my kids. I think it’s just a sign of how times change. I think a lot of people are now aware that body image issues can impressed upon a child, e.g. a parent who constantly diets and talks about unhappiness with their body can affect their children.

This is just a regular looking elephant bemoaning her natural body type. She shouldn’t be holding herself to giraffe standards.

Op your four year old is likely going to school this year? She will likely be exposed to discussions about people being fat etc.

I wouldn’t read it to mine either, though the pp saying what they see/hear/eat at home has more influence.
I’d just like to try to keep my kids away from worrying about body image, healthy v unhealthy (prefer High Energy) foods for as long as possible.
Goodness knows there will be a time, when they’re older, when there will be little getting away from it.

I do love ‘Five Minutes Peace’ though.

of course some foods are inherentley unhealthy,.Is it just the 4 year old who is naive! Children notice everything, even if you dont want them to, my DGS aged 4 asked how (morbidly obses MIL was going to fit into our car because she is so fat) we have never said anything like that to him.

Well, as she hasn't been exposed to that, maybe you could use it as an opportunity to discuss the subject. As PP states, she is going to hear it in the wider world ie at school.

You're viewing this as an adult, your child will view it as a child. Children view the world in a very different way to adults. Its a kids book- don't overthink it. Children/parents have read this book for donkey's years and most will have a healthy attitude to food.

If you're going to get your knickers in a twist about food/body image messages then I can think of worthier causes of your outrage than a children's book. You could start by focusing on your odd idea that no food is inherently unhealthy. There are lots of foods that contain absolutely no goodness or benefit at all.

I wouldn't want to read that to a small child.

She is your daughter, it’s entirely your choice whether you read it or not.

I don’t know this book, but it would depend on the ending, does mummy elephant make good food choices, does she embark on an exercise regimen and realise she is a health size for an elephant.

If she just makes ans about being fat, that’s not a good message.

‘Five Minutes Peace’ is awful. Yes of course it's how we all feel sometimes but why write a book for children about how their parents wish they'd all clear off? It really put me off Jill Murphy, I think she has a miserable streak.

Reminds me of this article:

www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/when-your-mother-says-shes-fat-20130604-2nnxq.html

I just don't think it's a nice message.