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| A magical sidekick for parents? Picture: Izabella at deviantart.com |
“Mummy, am I fat?” says my daughter, all of seven, regarding herself in the bath. She doesn’t know it yet but body fascism is my wife’s darkest fear. The thought of a little girl worrying about weight evokes a response like that of a vampire facing a crucifix or Lady Gaga being asked to wear a twinset.
“No darling you’re not, and it’s a silly thing to worry about”, my wife replies with admirable (though bogus) insouciance. After a couple of minutes of intense debate the crisis is over and worries about the Messages Kids Get Today are, at least temporarily, averted.
“You promise you’re telling me the total, absolute truth Mum?”
“Of course sweetheart. I’ll never lie to you when you ask me for the truth. Cross my heart and soak my sleeve in this bubble bath”.
I slip out of the room, failing to hear the scream of a gigantic hostage to fortune being abducted right beside me.
Halfway down the stairs the other shoe drops.
