Body issues in 8 year old boy- wasn't expecting that.

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Am dealing with the start of issues with my 10 year old girl, but have been taken aback with my son.

He has in the past made what I thought were passing comments like ' do you think I am fat' - I thought he was just copying his sister tbh. Two days ago he announced that he was going on a diet to get fitter. Dh talked to him about exercise making you fit and balanced diet being healthy.

Yesterday we went to frankie and benny's and he announced that his pudding would be fruit salad, before he had eaten anything. He then did not have a pudding and became very upset, which is not like him. He was then absolutely fine when we got home.

He is not in anyway overweight- Plays football and is pretty fit. Dh and I are overweight, dd is also not overweight - my friend who was out with us yesterday said that the body issue image in boys is a big issue.

Any experience/advice gratefully received. Thanks.

Do you think it's a reaction against how you & your DH are,size-wise, I mean? Maybe he's feeling self conscious about that.

Do you or your husband talk about dieting or being overweight? Children often imitate what they hear from their parents.

Dh does sort of talk about his weight but tells the children that he goes to gym to get fit. I stopped dieting and weighing myself when dd became interests in it - have discovered Paul McKenna- so we try not to make an issue - perhaps it is unavoidable though as they can see we are overweight

My nephew has issues with his body. My sister thinks it's cute/funny... I don't as I know he is learning it from her.

He is also 10. She takes him clothes shopping as he HAS to try every item on, and then stand in front of the mirror... and make sure he looks good. If they don't make his butt look good, then he won't wear them. If he looks fat, nope. If a jacket is too "bulky", then he will look fat, and won't wear it.

The list goes on. My sister buys him what he wants, as he is into "name brand" clothing!! ...and I warned her as he gets older it will only get more expensive.

I have no advice, but good luck!

We are not fat & DC still make lots of "You fat X!" insults. Well, immature 7yo DS does. So it's partly the age, I imagine. When they start to become very image conscious which I fear only gets worse until late teens. :( Unless you HE (not for me either). I tend to blank it or laugh it off & tackle issues head on. I don't care if DD says I look fatter or thinner today. If that say something unkind, I talk about separating out the fat you don't like from the person you do like. They are going to encounter that prejudice everywhere they go, no use pretending it's not there. Better to talk about what's right & what's wrong with what people commonly say & believe.

I would see it as a whole "image" conscious developmental stage. Not just about bodysize.