I am no longer a child and while I am not an experienced adult, yet I feel that I am old enough to make my own decisions. In fact I began to feel like a prisoner in my own home and this tended to increase my sense of opposition to the attitude of my parents.
A also realized that the root of the problem lay in a lack of understanding and communication. I also felt that my parents had not attempted to listen to side of the argument closely enough. I therefore decided that the argument should end and sat down with my parents one evening to convince them that my eating habits were intended not to harm myself but to increase my quality of life. I was completely forthright and honest and explained that my eating habits were based firstly on health considerations and the avoidance of fatty and starchy foods which, as everyone knows, is unhealthy. I also said that I was influenced to a certain extent by fashion and did not want to be overweight or fat and, yes, the thinner figure was more appealing to me. On the other hand this did not mean that I was bordering on Anorexia.
A even went to the extent of promising to see a doctor and would undergo any test to prove to them that was nothing physically wrong with me.
However, with the typical intransigence of age my parents would not relent. They were fixated like a buck in the headlights of a car by one thought - that I was Anorexic or at least on the road to severe illness, if not death. They were not interested in the discussion but were stubbornly insistent that I should stop my present eating habits and eat the rich and starchy foods that they ate. I pointed out as delicately as I could that they...
As a result the discussion turned into the usual abrasive family argument with raised voices and stern warnings about my future. At one stage my mother, somewhat over-dramatically, threatened "to kill herself" if I did not start eating what she considered to be healthy foods.
A of course realized that my mother's threats were a desperate attempt to get me to adhere to their views. I also knew that they are acting out of the best intentions.
However, it was equally important that they realize that I too have a say and an independent view which I have tried in various ways to prove to them. The fact that I eat comparatively little and that the types of foods I eat are not starchy or fatty, is something that I feel should be taken into account in this argument. I have subsequently also undertaken various medical tests which all prove that I have no health issues and all tests show that my eating habits have not had any detrimental effect on my general health. Therefore I feel that I must persist in attempting to convince my parents that there is no intrinsic danger in my eating habits. I also feel that I owe it to myself to do this as what is at stake is not just eating and food but also my sense of integrity and independence.
On the one hand one must be aware of damagers that can result for the images and the ideas that the media presents to us on a daily basis - such as the idea of body image. However, it is just as important not to overreact to these ideas and to ensure that perspective and balance about life is maintained.
