Fargo Woman Says She Will Hand Out Letter to Obese Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween; READ LETTER
ByA woman in a neighborhood of Fargo, North Dakota will not be handing out candy this year to children she deems as being at least "moderately obese," but a letter instead.
In an interview originally broadcast on Y94, the woman, who was not identified, said she drafted a letter that she will hand out to young trick-or-treaters that she believes has a weight problem. The letter is intended to address the child's parents.
"I just want to send a message to the parents of kids that are really overweight," she said. "I think it's just really irresponsible of parents to send them out looking for free candy just 'cause all the other kids are doing it."
CLICK HERE for a photo of the letter the woman plans to hand out.
The letter's author built her purpose around the phrase "it takes a village to raise a child," with her being the Good Samaritan.
"I'm contributing to their health problems and really, their kids are everybody's kids," she said in the interview. "It's a whole village."
Some experts do not believe her message will serve its intended purpose. North Dakota State University assistant professor of clinical psychology Dr. Katie Gordon said the letter will be more emotionally damaging than encouraging.
"It's just that kind of thing that for some kids, if they're vulnerable, might trigger major problems," Gordon told Valley News Live in Fargo.
She said overweight children are often sensitive about their body image and very conscious when it comes to fitting in with classmates and friends. Gordon said the woman's desired affect will not be achieved and recommended parents keep their child's weight issues between them and their pediatrician.
"That's not something that someone can judge- the health of someone- just by looking at them. I think that's the main thing. Even if a child is overweight, they might be very healthy because of what they eat and how they exercise," said Dr. Gordon. "It's ineffective anyway because it's not likely to help the kid."