Sunday, July 5, 2009

I Fear For My Pint-sized Children


Dear Agatha,


I am a married woman with two growing children. I am not very tall. My husband even though he is slightly tall seems to have short genes dominating his body system. Our two children from all indications are going to be short too as they actually seem shorter in height than most of their peers.

I know that gene is responsible for this, but I have a feeling that with good nutrition and probably medication, the children can grow taller. Please, what nutrition or food do you recommend that I feed them with? What do you think I can do to help them grow taller? The first one is 13 years while the second is 10 years.

Worried Mother.


Dear Worried Mother,

The first thing you should never do is to give these children complex about their heights. Your position as their mother is to encourage them to act as their shield and not to be in the vanguard of pumping complex into their brains.

It is also important that you don’t begin to give them ideas that there are magical pills anywhere.

These children are at very tender ages when a wrong move or word can change their lives forever. Once you make them feel inferior among their peers, you risk depriving them of the joy of their age, the freedom of growing up and consequently creating issues that should not have been raised in the first place.

This is what you as their mother must strive to avoid. You may not be able to handle the cost of the problems your concerns over the heights of these children are going to create for you now and in future. Frankly, your concerns are misplaced. Your children can only be proud of who they are if you give them the encouragement to be. So be a good mother and learn to celebrate your own with the loudest of cheers. This is what you owe them.

You also have to watch your attitude concerning your husband to avoid infesting your marriage too with problems that should not come up in the first place. Didn’t you notice your husband’s height when you decided to go into a relationship with him and subsequently marry him? He couldn’t have been the tallest man you met as a girl. The fact that you agreed to marry him despite his height means you should learn to appreciate the man for who he is not demean him on account of the height of the children who have your both genes.

Having said that, yes there are some kinds of foods and exercises that can help these children gain some few inches. I won’t encourage you to introduce these children to drugs at this early age. Remember you are the one with the problem, not these children so be careful how you go about it and what you expose them to.

Before you blame the genes, what sort of diet do you feed them with? Help them by giving them milk, yoghurt, cheese, and as regularly as possibe because these are good sources of protein. Their bones need phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium while the muscles need water, protein and carbohydrates to grow. Since they are growing taller, muscles and bones are getting bigger and longer.

It is also imperative they eat at regular hours and intervals. It is very important they don’t skip meals especially breakfast. Begin theirs with balanced diet.

Let them take time to taste and chew on their food well in addition to encouraging them to drink plenty of water with the food.

From time to time change menu to keep them excited and interested in eating. Although there is something about hormonal injections, i don’t think it is advisable.

Also introduce them to vitamins and well as encourage them to go for fresh air as regularly as possible. What is important is to ensure they are in good health. Once they are happy, let the matter rest in the interest of peace in your home.

Good luck.

Irresistible, Yet She’s Not Interested In Me


Dear Agatha,


I really enjoy how you solve problems; may God solve yours too. Please I need your help. I am 22years of age and will be a graduate next year. There is this religious girl, a classmate of mine, who we shall both graduate next year.

I wooed her when we were in 100 level but till date, she hasn’t given me an answer to my request. Her reason for rejecting me is because she calls me a Saturday keeper while she is a Sunday keeper.

I don’t believe her reason is because I sometimes notice she shows interest in me. In addition she regularly calls me on phone and I in turn send her romantic love messages. Her roommate told me that of the men that have asked her out, I am the only she respects the most. We share information about our movements. I love her and desire to marry her but I am getting tired of waiting endlessly. I have also tried to develop interest in other women but it just isn’t working.

A lot of my friends have told me to allow her be but I can’t because I love her so much. I don’t know why she is doing this to me. She is very brilliant. Please help me by calling her number to beg on my behalf.

Ola.


Dear Ola,

I called the number you gave me and the lady claimed to be your friend, but denied knowing you in the way you suggested. Though she admitted to having a classmate that goes by your name, she says there is such familiarity between the two of you and that as far she knows the person that goes by your name has a girlfriend.

As it stands, it’s best you forget this lady and move on with your life. If true, you both exchange information concerning your movements, denying you and giving the picture as a vague person in her life. Whatever issue you both have it is advisable you both find time to discuss it on a very personal level so it doesn’t affect the friendship between the two of you.

Good luck.