Body-shaming is not restricted to gender, age or culture. Many people have a habit of commenting on the weight or size of others. It is more prevalent within a family unit where an elder would comment on the weight of the young child in the family. There are several stories of kids being body shamed by elders in the family, where parents did not take any stand for them.
The main reasons are societal pressure and familial hierarchy.
That’s why when a mother stood up to her mother-in-law for saying mean things to her daughter, the internet could not help but applaud. The story was shared on Reddit.
A mother is drawing praise online after she publicly confronted her mother-in-law when the older woman started body-shaming her 15-year-old daughter. This all happened during a recent shopping trip.
The shopping trip for dresses was supposed to be a joyful afternoon and a chance for the daughter to bond with her mother and grandmother. However, it quickly turned into a painful time when the pang of words was worse than that of sticks and stones.
That’s why one should remain very careful while using harsh words towards their impressionable kids, especially teenagers.
The incident unfolded when the daughter found a dress that she liked and wanted to show it to her grandmother. She stepped out of the fitting room with excitement. However, my mother-in-law couldn’t find a few encouraging and happy words for her granddaughter. She rather gave her the biting remarks that younger teenagers must not gain more weight or she wont be able to fit in the dress.
“Don’t gain another pound, or it won’t fit,” She said. She then went on to body shame her daughter-in-law, the teenager’s mother and her elder sister and said that she hoped the younger teenager would not inherit their “big hips.”
According to the mom’s account, these are not the first comments that the grandmother has made. The older woman has a habit of criticizing and body-shaming every woman in the family. This wasn’t the first time such comments had been made.
She would talk to women and would ask about their weight and waist size. She would inquire how many calories one has eater. This has been going on even after the teenager’s father had explicitly asked his mother to stop and not make a fuss about unnecessary things.
After her rude comments at the dress shop, the mother confronted the mother-in-law. The grandmother offered a “half-hearted apology.” She then claimed her granddaughter had misunderstood her words.
Grandmother then became defensive. She even refused to acknowledge that her comments
could have lasting harm.
The mother decided enough was enough. She was frustrated and she shared it online. She described how heartbreaking it was to see her daughter’s confidence destroyed, especially at such a formative age.
“I don’t want her growing up thinking her worth is tied to a number on the scale,” the mom explained.
The post quickly went viral. It sparked hundreds of responses from parents and young adults alike. Everyone has faced such situations.
Many commenters urged the mother to set firm boundaries for everyone in the family. This included restricting unsupervised visits for the grandmother.
“You’d be enabling her if you didn’t impose consequences,” one commenter wrote. Another advised: “She doesn’t get to be around your daughter unless she can be kind and supportive. Period.”
This situation is similar to those where parents have stepped up to protect their children from such comments.
@jonfromfridai I rarely get angry, but my MIL made my livid with her comment about my daughter. #girldad #bodyimage #teens #parenting ♬ original sound – Jon
In one widely shared TikTok, a father confronted his own mother. She told his 11-year-old daughter to “eat more pickles so she wouldn’t have a pudgy belly.” The man did not let the comment slide, corrected his mother of her body-shaming on the spot, and reaffirmed his daughter’s worth.
For the mom who shared her story, the line has now been drawn. A mother in law would be allowed to spend time with her granddaughter only if the behavior stops and genuine accountability is shown.
Until then, protecting their daughter’s emotional well-being comes first.
