More and more children are said to be overweight in America today, even as the number of those with eating disorders is also on the rise. Many parents panic when they see their kids beginning to wolf down a greater quantity of food for some meals, and then suddenly bear down on them to shed the excess weight. Kids are generally innocent about their food choices, so it is your role as a parent to train them up instead of dictating their every move.
If you find that your child is overweight, do not despair. There is a way of encouraging your child to shed those extra pounds without making the dinner table a constant battlefield!
1. First off, you need to remember that your words can possibly have long-term effects on your child. Some children, when constantly bombarded by hurtful or insulting words from their parents, can learn to suppress their emotions or clam up away from their parents. You would not want to exasperate them with your constant nagging. After all, children also have feelings, and they are usually highly sensitive especially to words from their parents. As such, it might be best to lead by example, and not by preaching. If you want your child to eat vegetables, make sure you yourself enjoy eating them. If you yourself have poor eating habits, it will not be fair to expect your children to develop good ones, because generally, they initially learn best by example.
2. Next, remember that your goal is not a diet, but a healthy lifestyle. As such, you will need to set a good example on an overall scale. This means you do not just scold your child when he eats a second serving of cake, but you educate him on making good choices while illustrating it yourself in your own food choices. If your child constantly sees you gobbling up an entire gallon of ice cream and you scold him for eating an extra cup, you will wind up with a very frustrated child who may not want to listen to you anymore. Also, teach him about nutrition in a non-pressured environment, and hopefully not during meal time as it will come across as an unwanted lecture.
3. Instead of dictating that your child exercise, it may be a better idea to invite him on games that will get him moving. You can perhaps play a game of basketball out on your yard, or go biking along the beach. If your son or daughter is sensitive about showing his or her body, be sensitive to this and avoid picking activities that would require that, such as swimming. If he or she is not conscious about it, you can also have a good time splashing around and burning calories in the water.
4. Alternatively, you can set up friendly games with some children in the neighborhood. Some kids may enjoy playing with other children, but if your child has already gotten some beating on his self-esteem, he may not be up to it. Be sensitive to his emotions and do not make light of them; even if you think it is no big deal, for your child, feeling embarrassed to play with other children is a big issue. As you empathize with him, you may not get immediate results but the bond you form with your child will be priceless, and in the long run he will respect your suggestions so much more.
5. Lastly, avoid forcing your child to eat less. Many children turn to food for comfort at a very young age, and they will not like you constantly breathing down their necks. Instead, give them healthier alternatives without forcing it. For example, you can offer frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, home-made popcorn instead of chips, or frozen slush drinks instead of soda. Take note that the taste is not obviously yucky or else you will definitely have a hard time convincing him or her to try them. Also, steer clear of green colored stuff, as it spells “vegetable alert” all over it!
When you become used to the friendly way of dealing with your child’s weight problem, you will soon see him opening up to you in ways he never has before, and together you can solve it and see the pounds melting away without the unnecessary World War IV!
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