From Pete, Child's Age 16 - 08/07/17 - IP#: 89.174.96.xxx Click here to reply
Hello! I discovered two years ago that my son, then 13-14 years old, had been looking at "gainer" pages on the net. He has always been bigger, but I think he has deliberately gained weight the last two years. I didn't do much, thought it was a phase, but obviously not. Now with 16, he weighs around 280 lbs and is quite big. I know it isn't possible to "forbid" a 16 year old eating (he will just eat somewhere else), but how should I handle this situation? I'm not really sure. I don't mind him being bigger, but not so big that it'll be a health problem down the road, hopefully. Any tips/ideas on how to handle this?
Reply from Pete, Child's Age 16 - 08/10/17 - IP#: 213.159.50.xxx Hello and thank you! Yes, it sounds like we are in the same boat! I am just tending towards accepting it as long as he gets good grades, no drugs/smoking, all in all a good boy, it might be okay. We can't watch them 24/7. Just hope he won't damage his health..
Reply from Janis, Child's Age 12 - 08/08/17 - IP#: 64.65.78.xxx Pete, I'm having the same problem with my son Paul. Two years ago he spent the summer with my brother and his family. He went from 76 to 109 in two months and continued to gain weight rapidly after that. All he would say was that he was hungry and so ate a lot. I finally discovered that his cousin is a "gainer" (my nephew) and my son thinks it's "cool" to be fat (he now weighs close to 200). I consulted a psychologist who advised me that I have no control over my son's entire life (24/7). All I can do is provide healthy food for him, encourage physical activity, and be supportive. She showed my sites on the internet where young kids and teens post videos of them eating and showing off how much weight they have gained. There are other sites that encourage anorexia! She linked it to youngsters needing to be in control of their lives, but it is so dangerous for their long-term health. I have tried limiting the amount of spending money Paul has, but other family members (who I haven't told about him purposefully trying to gain weight) just think he'll grow out of his "baby fat" and give him spending money and treats. I'm sorry I don't have any advice for you, but it's a comfort to know I'm not the only parent here who has a child into this "gainer" fad. Do any other parents have advice for us?
