Kids and Weight Loss

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I know that at nine years old I don’t need to be addressing weight loss with my daughter, even though that jelly belly makes it extremely difficult for me to dress her! :-)   But I wonder at what point it does become an issue.

My hopeful answer is that if i do my job right it never will become an issue.

Some may disagree but I think that I do need to address her weight now, but quietly.  Even though she is only 9 and being “thin” is not a concern to us, being healthy is.  Too much sugar and fat present a health risk at any age and obesity among young children has become terribly common.

My son, by contrast, is very thin.  We encourage him to eat three helpings of pasta while cutting my daughter off at one.  It seems unfair at first but we realized that she is four years younger than him and we had been feeding them the same portions because they LOOK about the same size.  Duh!

There are times when she grumbled about the unfairness of it all but the only explanation we have given her is the real issue… Her brother is older and therefore requires more food.  I also learned to treat her with a fancy fruit dessert or sherbet and she feels better about things.

As important as a kids nutrition is exercise.  Winter time does not provide many opportunities for kids activities on a daily basis.  Not surprisingly my daughter carries more weight around her tummy in the winter than she does during summer vacation when she’s swimming and riding her bike every day.

I agree that addressing weight with children can send a bad message if done improperly, and could promoteinsecurity, especially among girls.  But completely ignoring it creates more problems down the road.

Do you remember being a teenager?  Or even a ‘tween?   Were you by chance a “chubby” one?  I was and I haven’t forgotten how cruel kids can be.  By high school I was bulimic and taking diet pills.  Not because anyone had made me insecure at home, but because of how I was treated in school.  I can remember being called fat as early as 3rd grade and someone sticking up for me saying, “She’s not fat, she’s just getting her big girl boobies already.”  It sounds funny now, but those comments can turn into a lifetime of weight disorders.  I think I would rather take my chances and deal with it now, in the privacy and safety of home, than send my prone to weight gain daughter out into the cruel world of middle schoolers.

I would love to hear any of your experiences with your children and weight management.  We can all help eachother out on this one I think.

16 thoughts on “Kids and Weight Loss”

  1. Weight issues are one of the biggest problems for parents. I have two boys who are “metabolically challenged.” Unfortunately, there’s always a way for a child who goes to school to get around a diet. No amount of complaining will get a kid to exercise, and you run the risk of messing up your relationship with your child if you push it. I learned that it isn’t worth it.

    That said, a morbidly obese child must be helped to lose weight, for their own safety.

  2. Kids are nice as they are! :) This is for sure; however, other kids can be cruel these days. Someone can be bullies easily for it and can suffer a lot because of some extra pounds!

  3. No offense, but you guys are all being cruel to yourselves and your daughter. Pick up a copy of “The Schwarzbein Principle” and one of Dr. Schwarzbein’s cookbooks. It is totally wrong to treat your daughter with a dessert when she doesn’t complain. You are just exacerbating the problem.
    Schwarzbein’s theories go against all we have learned but just look around: people are just getting fatter! I am just starting to eat this way, but those who have done it for a few months are healthier, thinner and happier.
    Let me know what you think.

  4. If we could get our kids to eat at all we’d be happy. I don’t envy your situation at all though. I think if I were faces with the situation you describe I’d quietly change their diet and portions. More importantly I’d force them into a rigorous exercise routine. Only an hour of TV and then its outside to take a walk or something. Easier said than done, I know!

  6. Americans are getting fatter at a rate never seen before
    It really is time that we got our finger out and started making real changes.

    Do people wait for the help , ? Strange , What they need to do is
    start doing something , to act .
    Whole life they are waiting for something and allow themselves to be under the control
    Action eliminates fair and stagnation

  7. Thanks for all your comments! It’s a tough subject and one you are likely going to get criticized for whichever path you take. I want to clear up, based on a comment above, that my daughter DOES complain and feel it is unfair that her Brother gets more pasta than she does because she sees them as the same age. So that is why I started rounding out dinner with a small dessert of fruit or sherbet. These are good things, not cake/pie desserts. I would include them even if we did not have portion controversy between the two of them.

  8. The mother’s heart becomes more happier when her kid eats a lot of nice things but they never realize that whether she is giving a healthy low fat food or not. just at that time she looks that her love to the kid but the proper health care is also necessary for a kid. Now a days there are so many kids club where they can enjoy and learn to keep themselves fit and fine.

    But you have given a nice idea . Thanks :)

  12. Thats really nice post..its really a bad feeling when someone in college or school behave with you like this.. but if just because of their comments we are going on the right way then they are good..

  16. It is sad that now a days kids can be cruel to other kids. As a rule of thumb I’m giving my kid healthy foods and guide to live a healthy life style even at an early age.