This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Reset Wellness. All opinions are 100% mine.
Meet 555lb, 14 year old Alexander Draper.
His
mother, Jerri Gray, was charged with criminal neglect for letting her
child gain too much weight. Alexander Draper was soon placed in foster
care and stripped away from his mother, as she faced her looming trial
(2 felonies, 15 years, $50k bond). During her trial, she claimed that
she didn't have the education to help him live a healthy lifestyle nor
the finances to put him in the recommended weight loss program.
Is this criminal neglect OR social injustice?
Reset Wellness,
a San Fransisco Bay Area Non-Profit, has established a wondrous program
that primarily focuses on providing obesity intervention tools and
academic enrichment to underprivileged children in the U.S. Later this
year, Reset Wellness, will be opening a child wellness center to expand
their community reach and they really need your help. "Alexander
Draper's situation is ALL to common. There's a fine line between neglect
and miseducation," states Reset Wellness founder Jamal Williams. "As a
nonprofit we've come up with a program that educates families on healthy
lifestyles and hold them accountable."
Currently,
there are no one-stop-shops, in the East Bay Area, that TACKLES child
wellness and academics in a practical, economically accessible way. The
child wellness center will be the first of its kind and will feature
hydraulic strength training circuits, vertical community gardens,
technology smart academic classrooms, a childproof kitchen, and health
counseling for families.
Donations
to fund the 100,000 center start at $5, are tax deductible, and all
donors will receive access to exclusive events, customized rewards from
Nike, Specialized Bicycles, and much more. Go to www.icanstopobesity.org
to help make this center real, check out center renderings, and review
donor rewards. Jamal concludes, "We've all heard the statistics, been
alarmed by their severity, and know a child struggling with weight.
However, our emotion is rarely combined with action. PLEASE donate and
help spread the word if you are able. Your HELP will improve the life of
countless families."
There's no easy cut and dry answers. However, I hate (I mean HATE) the government having control/say over situations like this. It's a sad situation, for sure.
ReplyDeleteI am a firm believer in not eliminating treats completely because then kids will just sneak them when they're not home, etc. but making healthy and tasty snacks easy to grab will have them choosing them. They want something quick!
ReplyDeleteI don't know, that sounds horrible. You don't need education to know that eating a lot of junk is bad for you, people in third world countries that can't read seem to get this, but on the other hand who is to say he'll be treated well in foster care. That poor kid, this is so sad!
ReplyDeleteSuch an important issue in our country. Thanks for spreading awareness!
ReplyDeleteBreaks my heart when families just don't care enough to feed their child a healthy meal. And I agree with Donna, it's not up to the government to decide how we should live out lives. It's a sad situation but it's not their decision.
ReplyDeleteFor us personally we don't really snack and if we do it's healthy snacks.
We've always stuck by the moderation theory, healthy options mainly but junk food and sweet treats are okay sometimes. The thing is, it's not rocket science to know that an apple is healthier for your child to snack on than a bag of Cheetos. What's sad is the apples cost more than the Cheetos :(
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Tammy. It is amazing how much more expensive it is to eat healthy.
DeleteThis is such a sad story and real issue in this country. I feel so sorry for him, but it's his parents responsibility to watch what he eats isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI have my kids eat something healthy then a non-healthy snack.
ReplyDeleteThis is a true epidemic in our country and something that needs to be taken seriously! We feed our children healthy, well balanced meals, practice "everything in moderation" in regard to treats and try to ensure our children stay physically active.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely all about moderation. Letting kids have sweet treats but not all of the time. I also believe in activities and keeping your kids active!
ReplyDeleteVery sad situation...I hope he got the help he needed.
ReplyDeleteThat is really sad! I can understand why they would put him in foster care, but I don't understand why the mother would be criminally charged with 2 felonies, 15 years, and $50k bond. Usually they charge people that for controlled substances, but in most case they get it easier than what this woman was charged.
ReplyDeleteExercising and the amount you eat is important, yet a personal choice. I'm sure at the age of 14 that he learned this in school already, so I can't entirely blame the mother in this case. :(
more and more people are making better choices not only for their kids but for themselves. We can change the world one meal at a time
ReplyDeleteI work hard to teach my son how to build a balanced meal. Also food is not a reward.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a sad situation and a real problem in this country. I try to keep mostly healthy foods in the house.
ReplyDeletePoor baby, I can't imagine things had to get that out of hand. Why was the mom never offered help and education so her and her son could lead healthier lives? Childhood obesity is definitely an epidemic we need to fight against.
ReplyDeleteThis is turning into such a serious epidemic in our nation -- being a teacher it makes me cringe when i see the foods they are serving the kids the cafeteria. The healthier options we can share and introduce to our kids the better!
ReplyDeleteThis is something I worry a lot about.
ReplyDeleteI do not feel that she would be charged with a crime. I don't know the answer to what to do. I struggle with a son being over weight that just plain refuses to eat well. I do what I can and only wish I could do it all over again and not have all the junk food I use to have when my kids were younger.
ReplyDeleteI combated it today, by deflecting my daughter's request for yet another juice & yogurt pop with an ice water that I literally made a song & dance about to make it equally exciting...lol
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad story! These centers should be everywhere, prevention is the best solution.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an important issue to raise awareness about..
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't feel she should be considered a criminal, but instead, why didn't local agencies give her the resources (books, pamphlets, etc.) to help her make better decisions on the food she brought in to the home.
ReplyDelete