Teen boys and eating disorders
Just before Christmas, my son weighed right around 140 pounds. In January he had the flu and lost some weight and since that time, his weight has been on a constant decline - he’s now at 123 pounds and is about 5′5″ tall.
He looks terribly thin to me. Maybe it’s just me being an over protective mom - who knows?
After doing some snooping, as only a mom can do, I found that his girlfriend rarely eats. While visiting our house for pizza, she refused to eat saying she had a cookie to eat earlier that evening.
An Fing cookie?!?!?
That’ll fill ya up!
Well, apparently she takes the same approach with school lunch and the eating habit, or lack thereof seems to have worn off on my son. Either he’s embarrassed to eat in front of her or he’s trying to get as much time with her as possible.
I finally had to lay down the law in a very stern way that could not be argued.
My son has two options -
1. I’ve given the other two boys full authorization to tell me what he has for lunch each day. If he doesn’t eat lunch, I will be going to school to have lunch with him every day.
or
2. I will get that really nasty tasting protein drink - the nastiest one I can find and make him drink it until he starts to gain some weight.
I don’t think he’s bulimic or anything that severe, but I believe in nipping the problem in the butt right from the start.
I guess it just goes to show, boys can have eating disorders too. Just not my boys - not without a fight from dear old mom.
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POSTED IN: Parenting
9 opinions for Teen boys and eating disorders
Kristen King
May 1, 2008 at 3:05 pm
That’s kind of scary, girl. I hope it works itself out soon. You might be interested in this post, particularly the book link at the bottom:
http://tinyurl.com/4sfqhm
Disclosure: I edited the book.
kk
Ashley
May 2, 2008 at 7:04 am
I think you should talk to her parents too. They probably have no idea.
Things have changed so much! When I was in school I was the skinny-minny olive oil looking girl (not on purpose) and it was NOT the cool thing to be. The girls with the hips and the ta-ta’s had their pick of boyfriends and knew it. I longed for a little junk in my trunk..
Maria
May 2, 2008 at 5:30 pm
No offense, but as a person who has struggled with eating throughout her life, “forcing” him to eat will not fix the underlieing problems– whatever they might be. Besides talking to him about it, he might need other support/treatment, and even then if he truly has an eating disorder (and not just a desire to see his gf whenever/wherever), it will rear its ugly head throughout his life.
http://mariawj.blogspot.com/2008/02/a-word.html
Gayla McCord
May 2, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I think we have concluded that it is related to spending time with his gf. The other day she was gone all day for a class field trip - he is a grade behind. It was reported to me that he pigged out at lunch that day.
Today he was home with a sore throat and still managed to eat quite a bit for lunch and supper.
I’m thinking a talk with the girls mother might be in order.
Now I find out the gf of one of the other sons likes to cut herself.
Bleh WHAT is WITH these girls these days?
Maria
May 2, 2008 at 9:40 pm
I’m not sure what is up with those girls. I only know about myself and my own disorder (at least on the personal level), and at 28, there are still days and things that I struggle with, and I am convinced that this will be a lifelong fight.
Hopefully all involved get the help (from parents or other professionals) that they need. An eating disorder is nothing to be taken lightly. I guess this is a sensitive subject for me, so I’ll stop now… Good luck, and I hope it all works out for your son and family. Hugs ’cause I know it’s not easy.
tabbi
May 3, 2008 at 10:07 pm
forcing him to eat will not solve problems,only create them. get him and his girlfriend counceling if you can. Found out why his (probablly skinny) girlfriend doesnt eat. Cure the disease not the symptoms.
Dean
Aug 11, 2008 at 12:05 am
Im a teen boy too, dont worry about it? Ive been eating alot less and exercising alot more to get my weight down. My mom yells at me for it, but its easier to perform in sports this way. Before you start worrying he has an eating disorder, maybe ask if hes trying to lose weight for a specific reason???
Dean
Aug 11, 2008 at 12:08 am
oh and ive lost about 6% of my overall weight since june. Right now im 6′, 188 lb’s
saraya
Nov 12, 2008 at 2:53 pm
yah im sorry but makeing him eat will not help the problem it will only make the problems wrose then they already are.. you really just need to sit down with him and talk about it…
but babe thats just my opin but i understand that your a mom but im 13 almost 14 i used to have problems like that and when my mom mad me eat it really only made that problem wrose
your son may have a problem but if that was you what would you want if that was you???
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