Perhaps you started noticing that your child started to gain weight. At first you thought it was just a temporary weight gain that would correct itself once your child hit his/her growth spurt. Now you are suddenly aware that was several months ago. Your child’s weight hasn’t leveled off; in fact your child’s weight seems to be increasing. You’ve noticed a roll of excess weight around the middle and are now becoming concerned.
Now that you have recognized your child may be starting to have a weight problem you aren’t really certain what you should do about it. You don’t want to say anything that will hurt your child’s self esteem. You are also concerned that by saying something that may cause your child to develop an eating disorder. So you say nothing about the weight gain to your child. After all, isn’t it more important that your child is comfortable with his/her body? Your job is to raise a confident, healthy, happy child, right?
Although it is true that you should raise your child to love their body and to be happy, it is your job to ensure your child develops healthy eating and exercise habits. It is difficult to overcome the fear of hurting your child. But there are ways to approach the weight gain issue without damaging your child’s self esteem or confidence. Discuss the weight gain with your child’s doctor. The doctor may be able to talk with your child. You could work with your doctor to develop a healthy, nutritional diet plan that will keep your child from gaining any more weight.
You can also help your child stop the weight gain by exercising with your child. You could join a gym together, take exercise classes together, do exercise tapes at home together, and participate in physical activities with your child. There are many outdoor activities you could do with your child that would help burn calories. Taking a bike ride is a great opportunity to spend time together and exercise at the same time. Sign your child up for a sport. Sports will teach your child social skills, team work, and will keep your child active.
Childhood obesity has become a great cause of concern among experts. Statistics indicate that over 15% of children are obese. This figure is up from 4% in 1970. The U.S. Department of Health found that obesity results in the same number of deaths per year as cigarette smoking. You are your child’s line of defense against early death, chronic diseases, and a diminished quality of life. Don’t let your fear of negatively impacting your child’s self esteem stop you from saving his/her life. Take action now. Give your child the opportunity to have the life they should have, not the life they are forced to lead due to the limitations of obesity.