Director Can't Get This Family off of My Mind

[pamperedlinda]

I had a show last night with a family that is just weighing on my mind, and not in a good way The show was fine, the guests were fun and I got some bookings, but it was just the life-style of the host's family that really bothered me. The home was clean in an okay neighborhood, my best friend actually used to live in the house across the street 15 years ago! But, it's definatly not the nice neighborhood it once was, kinda run-down now. The host's family was just utter chaos! She has 4 kids, age 7-15 (which I guess that in itself would be chaos, lol!) As I was setting up, the kids wouldn't keep their hands off my stuff...touching EVERYTHING! I was nice and answered their questions about what my products were as I was setting up, but the 7 year old kept handling everything (and her hands were not the cleanest, kwim?) I asked her to wait just a bit and she could help me once everyone got there...hoping that her mom would take the hint and shoo her away...not so much :yuck:

Anyhow....that's not what bothered me so much. It was mostly the 7 year old and the family dog that pulled at my heart. (background: for those of you who have met me, you know I'm short, barely 5' tall and I'm think I'm average size for my height, probably wouldn't hurt for me to drop a few pounds.) Well, this 7 y/o was huge! (I was shocked when she told me she was 7) I was wearing shoes with 2" heals last night and the 7 y/o came to my nose and she probably out-weighed me by a good 10-15 pounds! The family dog was a dashound and he was so fat he looked like a seal! The 13 y/o was huge too (and really needed a new bra :bugeye, the 2 oldest were boys and average size and so was the husband. The entire time I was there all they did was eat junk...chips, chicken wings, pop tarts...anything they could eat with their hands (omg, the 7 y/o ate the pop tarts like a sandwich and I have no idea what was in between) The dog followed everyone around and they fed him whatever they had in their hands (poor thing). I know it's none of my business, but I just wanted to slap my host and tell her too look at these kids and the dog (and in the mirror!). It's just heart-breaking to see someone train their family to eat/behave like that.

Anyhow, thanks for letting me vent. It's just bothering me and makes me sad....and thankful that I was raised better and that I'm raising my son better.

But when you think about it, this is our future society and that worries me!

 

[finley1991]

Linda, one of the things I love most about you is your compassion for others. Reading this broke my heart and I would have felt the same way (although I probably would have expressed more anger! LOL!). Unfortunately we can't make others change... they have to do it on their own. My only thought is when you talk to her about the opp, tell her how doing this has made your life better and your family's life better through healthier eating. :candyheart:

 

[akaskydebil]

So often this is the American story anymore... Sad, but true.

*hugs to you*

 

[Sheila]

It really is the American way, huh? You've met me Linda. I'm not hugely obese, but I could definitely stand to loose 30 pounds! But I'll admit that when I came back to the US and walked in Wal-Mart I was in shock. And I do mean SHOCK. I saw more obese people in 10 minutes than I've seen in Japan in 4.5 years. It's something I never thought about or even noticed until I walked around in a country of people who are generally a healthy weight for 4.5 years. To see an overweight person in the Japanese culture is very rare. So coming back to America truly was a culture shock to me.

 

[tpchefpattie]

Dear Host,I wanted to reach out and thank you for hosting a show with me last night. It was great meeting you and your family. However, I couldn't help but feel concerned about the lifestyle of your family. I understand that having four kids between the ages of 7-15 can be chaotic, but what really bothered me was the constant snacking and lack of hygiene among the children and even the dog. As a pampered chef consultant, I am passionate about promoting healthy eating habits and proper hygiene, especially among children.I appreciate that you allowed your children to help me during the setup, but I couldn't help but notice their hands were not the cleanest. I kindly asked the youngest to wait until everyone arrived before handling my products, hoping that you would intervene, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. Additionally, I noticed that your family's snacking choices consisted mostly of junk food, which is not good for their health in the long run.I understand that it's not my place to judge or interfere with how you choose to raise your family, but I couldn't help but feel saddened by the sight of the 7-year-old and the family dog. As someone who is also petite, I was surprised to see how much bigger the 7-year-old was compared to me, and it concerned me that she seemed to be constantly snacking. The same goes for the dog, who seemed to be fed whatever was in your family's hands.I know that you are doing your best as a parent, and I don't mean to come across as judgmental. However, as someone who is passionate about promoting healthy eating habits, it's hard not to feel worried about the future society when we see children being trained to eat and behave in such a manner.Thank you again for hosting me, and I hope to see you at future shows. Take care.Sincerely,Pampered Chef Consultant