A stepmother who refused to buy her partner’s six-year-old daughter a birthday cake has defended her decision, arguing that it is too “unhealthy”. In a post on Reddit, the 34-year-old admitted that she thinks her stepdaughter is overweight and eats too much junk food. However, her parenting techniques were not well-received by some forum members.
In a bid to help her make healthier decisions, the woman came to a compromise of giving the child “low-fat ice cream” instead of a celebratory cake.
But while sharing her story with other Reddit users, she voiced her concerns about whether she was in the wrong for pushing the young girl to make “better” food choices on her birthday.
The parent claimed that the six-year-olds unhealthy eating habits were influenced by her biological mother.
As the primary caregiver, the young girl spends every weekday and every other weekend with her mum, who the woman criticised for not setting boundaries when it comes to junk food.
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In the post, the stepmother admitted: “It makes me feel sad for this child and her health, so I try to teach her about healthy eating and moving around during our weekends with her.”
One of the issues raised by the woman was the little time she spends with her partner’s daughter. The health-conscious Reddit user explained that the girl visits them every other weekend.
And with two sons of her own who live in the family home, the woman makes an effort to “teach moderation” and control portion sizes when it comes to “treats”.
She said: “I ask my kids if they want to make a healthier choice whenever I see them reaching for a treat from the pantry.”
The cake dilemma arose when the primary-school-aged child was staying at her father’s house one Saturday, which happened to be her sixth birthday.
Conflicted over her stepdaughter’s health and enjoyment on her special day, the woman pushed for a healthier alternative to cake to mark the occasion.
She said: “We were talking about what kind of cake to have when I asked [Gwen] about the healthier choice.
“My reasoning was that she gets all of that garbage at home, and it’s just not good for a growing girl.”
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However, her caring approach was not well received by other parents in the forum, with many quick to criticise her actions.
One person responded to the Reddit post with a comment that read: “My heart just breaks for this little girl. She’s got one home that supposedly doesn’t restrict anything, and another home that overly restricts everything.”
Another added: “She’s five. Give the child goddamn cake on her birthday and then go for a family walk after. Also FYI, the good choice/bad choice talk is just going to give her body image issues for the rest of her life.”
Some did agree with the woman’s decision, with one person agreeing that she was right for “trying to raise healthy kids with good habits” in an “obese society”.
Do you agree with the woman? Let us know in the comments below.
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