Often
times parents or other well meaning family members will become overly concerned
about a child's weight. Before jumping the gun, be sure to read these common
sense and healthy tips on dealing with the situation.
DON'T make the pudgy child feel bad about his/her being overweight.
If your child is satisfied with her weight, and she is within 20% of the
standard optimum weight, then leave her be.
DO remember that weight loss in growing children is not healthy. Diets
are only recommended for extreme cases of obesity. Children need calories
to grow and develop normally.
DO help your child grow into her current body weight through exercise
and healthy eating. Keep her weight steady until she grows to the height
appropriate for her weight. When that happens, your child's weight can increase
to keep pace with normal growth.
DON'T force her to go on a diet to satisfy your own satisfaction.
Diets are not natural for children. Since a diet inherently means foregoing
feelings of hunger, it might be viewed as a form of punishment. Your child
might think that there is really something wrong with her because she wants
to eat more than what her parents want to give.
DO make exercise a regular part of family life. Get everyone involved
in a variety of fun physical activities like swimming, throwing frisbees,
jogging and skating.
DO encourage your kids to watch less television and play less video
games. These activities encourage the couch potato mentality of parking bodies
in front of the tube with a bag of chips and a can of cola for company. Your
child will gain excess calories in no time with this tact.
DON'T deny the problem. If your child is getting concerned about her
weight, then address it. Tell her what the potential problems are, what needs
to be done, and help her through it.
DO encourage participation in organized sports be it at a school or
in your community. Participation in sports activities not only helps build
strong bodies, it also promotes social skills and boosts self-esteem.
DO watch for signs that her weight and appearance is affecting her
performance in school and sports activities as well as peer relationships.
DON'T go blaming her either. Don't tell her she became fat because
she likes to eat ice cream so much. Or that she gained so and so pounds because
she sits on her butt all day. Your child is not the problem; it's her weight
that is.
DO be a good role model. Being a role model does not only mean being
physically fit, but it also means not obsessing about your weight all the
time and making the right food choices.
DO help your child learn about healthy eating habits. Healthy eating
is a matter of eating a balanced diet with foods rich in nutrients and moderate
in calories.
About the Author:
To find more health related articles visit our friends at DoctorGeorge.com
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