Parents Receive Backlash After Gifting Their Young Daughter ‘Slim Tea’ For Christmas
Many people think she’s far too young to be engaging with weight loss fads.
Jacob Lund / CanvaPro Fad diets, weight loss supplements, and intense workout regimes are the pillars of our culture’s obsession with weight. Using the facade of health and wellness, the diet and workout industry profits off of people struggling with their weight.
So, what keeps this industry booming despite its ties to toxic societal norms? How does our culture foster these toxic standards and continue to shame people living in bigger bodies?
A great deal of this is attributed to a toxic “Comparison Culture,” one that inherently ties “fitness” to “attractiveness” and shames people for living in bodies outside of the norm. These standards fester into larger self-confidence and self-esteem issues that influence habits in adults and often trickle down to their children over time.
That's why people criticized parents who gifted their young daughter ‘slim tea’ for Christmas.
Studies have shown that the influence of a parent's eating habits, dieting trends and relationship with food has an incredible impact on their children even as they grow into adulthood. So, when these parents recorded their excited daughter opening Christmas gifts many viewers were concerned that the toxic gift they gave her would do more harm than good.
When the little girl ripped the paper off the gift, with the help of her sisters, she pulled out the box of “slim tea” and looked confused as she read the description on the label.
‘Slim Tea’ is a controversial weight loss supplement.
When her sisters, gathered around the young girl and noticed what she’d taken out of the package, one quickly grabbed it. Unable to believe what she was seeing, she held the box up to her parents asking them if they were serious.
Photo: PDPics / Canva Pro
“Be happy,” one sister said kindly to the little girl and some commenters speculated she wanted the girl to act joyful and “not let [her parents] have the satisfaction of hurting you.”
Not only is there no valid evidence that suggests “slimming teas” actually work, but the fad itself is incredibly harmful to many, especially young girls.
Instead of focusing on healthy eating habits and appropriate exercise and play, these parents not only instilled the idea that this girl's body is unacceptable somehow and that she doesn't measure up but also that she needs to rely on unhealthy practices to make herself look a particular way.
Excitedly opening the package, she exclaimed that she ‘really needed’ the tea and looked to her parents for validation.
“I really needed this,” the young girl said while smiling up at her parents. Almost as if looking for validation, the girl continued to read over the package as her sisters looked angrily up at the camera.
It didn't seem like the first time the family had conversations about weight and the young girl was clearly aware that she needed to lose weight, at least in the eyes of her mom and dad.
Of course, if a doctor or professional told the family that losing weight would be a healthy choice for the young girl it would be appropriate for them to have a conversation together. However, it’s a valid assumption to believe the doctor didn’t suggest “slim tea” for this young girl.
The father, who runs a family vlog channel, said the ‘slim tea’ was sent by a 'fan.'
Commenters were angry over the video and it was not just because of the gift. “Exposing this young girl’s insecurity in a video that should be held in private is not right,” one commenter suggested. “It’s clear this father is trying to monetize his kids through videos … it’s sad that it is working.”
TikTok creator Stefannie Hall revealed that this family said they didn’t buy their daughter the “slim tea” and that instead, “a fan” of their family channel sent it.
“So … let me get this straight,” a commenter said, “A stranger sent a package to your daughter. Then, you gave it to her … and let her open it with her teeth?”
It's unfortunate that these parents felt the gift, which contributed to a societal norm of shaming younger girls for living in bigger bodies, was an acceptable gift. They are laying a foundation for this girl's future body image issues and an unhealthy relationship with food, but it also signifies that these parents are likely victims of body image issues as well.
Regardless, the video was inappropriate to post online and sadly this young girl seems to lack a supportive environment to talk about diet and exercise in a healthy way.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a news and entertainment writer at YourTango focusing on pop culture and human interest stories.