Opinions on childhood obesity...

PhilyPhresh

This is a complete and total failure of the parents.
There are things parents can do for their kids which most do not. I want my own children to be at the top of life's food chain.
I have 5 kids and start them exercising at age 2. We call it "PT" which is USMC for "Physical Training".
It's not play time but serious. And it's neither optional nor negotiable.
At 8pm every day, we all gather and everybody does push-ups, pull-ups and sit ups. Once per week is self-defense training.
We do not do any cardio as each kid in involved in sports: swimming, tennis, hiking, track or whatever.
There is no TV or junk food allowed in the house, and computer time is limited and monitored.
None of our kids have ever been fat, weak or bullied, and no teenager was ever on dope or in trouble.
All excel in sports, school and their social network.
Parents have a responsibility to prepare their kids for the rough world we live in.
Success is a choice.

Do you just crap awesome or what? My 3 year old has started taking an interest in CrossFit and Paleo and it is awesome. I don't know many 3-4 y/o's who ask for a carrot or a sweet potato and water as a snack... That's the kinda thing that just makes ya feel good as a parent. Parents definitely need to step up the responsibility to their children. You are not their friend, you are their parent and it is your job to teach them self control and how to live right and healthy!

bregalad5

]My son is the top seeded tennis player at his High School.
He thanked me for that.
My ten year old was invited to be on the All Star baseball team; he thanked me.
My 14 year old is a top wrestler with a shelf full of 1st place and second place trophies.
Need I go on?
All 5 of my kids excel in school and exist at the top of the social food chain.
Keep making excuses, and we'll keep winning.
That's the difference.:drinker:

Warning: off topic.

I thanked my parents for forcing me into activities I didn't want to be in. Why? Because that's what they wanted to hear. Didn't mean that I was being serious.

They also hit me with a belt when I misbehaved (it could probably have technically been called abuse, but it never left any scars except for emotional), and washed my mouth out with soap if I swore, or didn't eat what was on my plate at dinner. I struggle to wear belts now, and whenever someone takes theirs off I am afraid they're going to hit me with it. I moved away from my house as soon as I possibly could, and only go back a couple times a year (if that) because, while I have forgiven my parents for the mental and psychological abuse I endured, I struggle to be around them for more than a couple days.

My ex is a son of a Marine, and he absolutely hated the Marine *kitten* he endured growing up. I think there is a lot of ignorance in assuming everyone loves the same things you do, that every child needs to have the same exact "regiment", and that all 5 of your kids really, truly love what you're putting them through. Whatever happened to fun activities for kids? God.

glovepuppet

weirdly, i don't want my kids to feel the need to be top of the food chain, or to see society as a food chain, or to think that being the best at everything is your number one goal. my youngest might be top of the class in most subjects, he might be good at sports, but that's because he aims to be -his- best, not because i pressure him to be -the- best.

they make good food and exercise choices because we talk about what makes a good or a bad choice, what the benefits of a good choice are, what the consequenses of a bad choice are, how to balance the less healthy pleasures so that they don't have any real impact. when they leave home they'll need the tools to make good choices for themselves, because they can't blindly obey me forever.

give a man a fish, etc.

EmilyMarieMo

Just thought this was interesting... In my 2nd grade VBS class last night, we were talking about something we did bad that day... overweight little girl (not sure if qualifies as obese or not, but clearly overweight by more than a tad) admits her "wrong doing (or sin)" of the day was sneaking and stealing another cookie out of the box after her mom had already told her she couldn't have it any more. And the day before that she commented about the helpers snacks being better (meaning more unhealthy and tasty!) than the kids snacks and that it wasn't fair. Her mom heard her say that and she said "for this kid, EVERYTHING is always about the snacks!" Also, the little girl asked to sit out of the physical games time that required running around both days, b/c she said she'd rather just sit and talk to her friend instead.

I wonder why for this kid it is all about the food, and why is it so bad that she is willing to sneak and steal food KNOWING it is wrong??? How does a parent change internal desire the kid has???

Sure you can force good food, force exercise, talk to them about the difference between good food and bad food, etc... but what did the parent do that caused this kid to be ALL about the food so much so she will even steal it? And how does a parent encourage the kid to make the internal change in desire for the food and to not WANT to be lazy? Her parents are of average weight, not skinny, not big... So... really can't say like parent- like child here from visual observance only.

This kid has a precious personality and is well behaved. Doesn't overdo anything for attention, but she isn't shy in the least either. She dresses cutesy as if she enjoys fashionable things and likes having flare to her appearance. She is one of the biggest (in weight) girls in the entire 2nd grade class of about 30 kids. There are maybe 2-3 other little girls also that are more than a "little overweight"... and the class is mostly girls. So from all this... I come to believe she seems just fine externally with her excess weight even though her body size stands out from what is average in the group.

glovepuppet

why have the cookies in the house?
my kids are a healthy weight but i don't have junk food in the house.

when they were younger we had sweet day, where we'd all go to the local sweet shop and (from the jar lined walls) choose fifty pence worth each. i didn't keep the temptation of sweets in the house.

it's different for older kids but for young kids it's not that hard to stop them eating treats. just don't have them lying around. buy them as special occassion treats.