I know that eating disorders can be genetic but in my circumstance that isn't the case it was purely brought up by emotional instability. My family does have a history of depression and anxiety and it runs on both sides of my family. Not do I know of that anybody in my family has had an eating disorder so I don't know if myself having one may change the genetic predisposition of them?
I said at the very end of my last post how I would easily take this disease if it meant that someone else didn't have to. Which obviously is a false statement but if that were true I would gladly take it. From that I began thinking about my baby cousins. What terrifies me more than anything is for Emrie or Lydia or both of them to feel like they aren't good enough because of the famous american obsession that has been ingrained in our heads that all around the world people are taking desperate measures to change their bodies.
To fit the "perfect" ideal. I know all 6 of them have a chance of developing negative body image and a unhealthy relationship with food just by the world we live in never mind the possible genetic component.
Girls though, in my opinion are more prone to the pressures of the ideal thin body with the sudden confusion of their bodies signifying that they are now women to environment and social factors that they will inevitably face when they are older. I would in a heartbeat have an awful relationship with food and my body for the rest of my life if it means none of my baby cousins or any future ones would go through it. I would do it before I could blink. If it saved them from their innocence as much as possible with them being teenagers and all that that stage of life entails.
It would save them for the excruciating palpable inner turmoil that I don't wish on anyone at all. Not even my worst enemy.
I see their beautiful, unscarred faces of innocence and I see their soul through their beautiful blue eyes when they're only 6 months old and I absolutely adore the innocence and perspective babies and little children give us. They teach us how life isn't meant to be taken so seriously, it is meant to be taken one feeding, one crying session, one diaper change at a time. One second at a time. That is how life meant to be ridden, not as a fast speed roller coaster.
Something that my friend told me is that she watched a video on YouTube about how to be a normal eater and one thing the YouTuber said was to eat with kids and that is very true. My little cousins Eli and Ethan 3 and 5 years old and eating with them is the so freeing. They literally don't care at all what they're eating what is on their plate, they don't care how many calories are in any food and it defenitely puts it into perspective for me how free the act of eating really should be and is meant to be.
I love my baby cousins to death and I feel protective of them from the harsh realities of the world which isn't really my job it's their parents job but I want to keep them as innocent as possible for as long as possible. I also though want them to understand and know what the world is all about.
Obviously I'm not their parent nor am I trying to be but I want them to feel comfortable coming to me with whatever they want whether it's heavy or not. If they ask me questions I will answer them honestly because it's better for them to be informed than not know at all. I will never make negative comments about their bodies even if was meant as pure innocence. I will never make comments on their food because I know too much to take that risk.
I love them all to death and I would do anything for them and I know I'm only their cousin but it's important to me to be honest with them because I didn't really have anyone myself.
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