DD said she's "fat"

[skewputt]

She's 3, nearly 4. She really enjoys choosing what to wear and I'm quite strict about her being in old trousers and practical stuff at nursery but let her have a freer rein at weekends, so after she got dressed yesterday she asked me what I thought of her outfit and I said "great". She looked mournfully down at her tummy and said "fat though"

I am SO CAREFUL never to talk about weight and body shape except in very general terms as I was plagued by comments about being "sturdy" as a child - but who knows what she picks up from other people or at nursery??

I just made a joke of it, cuddling her and tickling her lovely tummy, but I just can't believe that a three year old could come out with something like this. Is weight an issue at this age? Am I just making too much of it? Help!

Not sure really totally different situation but my mum still struggles with bulemmia(sp?) and when my brother was 3 he saw her weighing herself ever since then was obssessed and until he was 10 if he went over 4st he would stop eating for days as he thought he was fat... had to see a pshychologist about it is now 14 and just over 7st but most of it muscle through gymnastics.

I know totally off subject as your DD hasnt seen any of this but it can be an issue but something like that I wouldnt worry about.

Thanks mamadiva. That sounds awful for your brother.

I'm just wondering how invasive this whole cultural weight/image obsession is when we might not even realise it. MIL bought dd a barbie princess bride computer game yesterday (I hid it before dd saw it- "sing along as you search for Prince Ken" ) and has been saying she wants her to go to ballet lessons. But I just want dd to be confident and happy with her body and these things don't help imo. I can't stand to see all the little girls at the ballet school near here all done out in their fake tan and make up for a show at the age of 5, surely they should not be having to think about their appearance so much at that age?

If I tried to explain how I felt to MIL she would most definitely not understand.

DD saying she's fat has just made me think a bit harder about all of these things and how I can help her be confident no matter what shape she is.