No kids here, but if you do, I have a question for you.

I only counted before to make sure they were getting enough. Both my kids were/are really under weight, and were lower than the lowest percentile lines.

We talk about about good choices. They get healthy food, and also some other not as healthy foods as treats. They get water, and milk, and the occasional real juice. We will do fast food if we almost absolutely have too, but generally they hate it.

I let them eat till they are full, and they must eat 'enough' if they want something less healthy. Never that they have to finish the plate, but they have to have minimum number of bites of veggies or meat (one loves veggies, but not meat, and other loves meat, but not veggies).

I do not count calories for them, but make sure they have balance.

Not really.

Not in the sense that I have a number in mind they should have each day or logging it.
BUT....
I do try to help them make better choices. When they want to buy ice cream, I will give them two or three options after scanning the nutrition info and choosing those that are closest to 100 calories per serving. It helps ME to not feel guilty like I'm giving them all that high-fat junk and it helps them to keep their calories reasonable.

My son is 10 and thin as heck. He wore size 8 slim pants up til recently... only getting rid of them due to the length being too short. Now I have to buy him size 9 slim which is an off size so I have to search online for them. He's in 5th grade.

My daughter is going to be 6 in three weeks and she is a little chunky. She has been wearing size 7/8 for awhile now on top and her pants are usually size 6 but need to be hemmed to fit in the length.

My daughter scares me. She is the type that seems to NEVER feel full. My mom once took both my kids to Shakey's Pizza Buffet and my daughter didn't want to leave because she kept eating. Luckily my sister was there with them and she told my mom to STOP getting her more food! Dang grandparents.... sometimes they don't know how to say no.

She is getting better and doesn't have nearly as many days like that any more.... but.... we are constantly talking to her about how it's ok to NOT eat everything on your plate. I think it helps that she now sees us leave stuff on our plate, too.

I would NEVER count calories of food for young children! By cooking healthy meals and encouraging them to love fruits and vegetables (both cooked and raw) you are giving them a lifetime of knowledge and good habits. Don't forbid a treat now and then. Make meals fun for kids. Reward with with good things like bike riding as a family, or hiking, swimming. Keep healthy snacks in the house. Forget the pizza rolls, spaghettio's, chips, and snack cakes. Those are for occasional times, not daily snacks. Don't buy them and they won't get them at home.

Forget the pizza rolls, spaghettio's, chips, and snack cakes. Those are for occasional times, not daily snacks. Don't buy them and they won't get them at home.

so true!!!!

No way! My kids are active and eat healthy (we still have halloween candy sitting in a cupboard). When they're hungry, they eat. We also have a rule in our house that you have to try a bite of everything, if you don't like it, then you don't like it but how will you know if you don't try.

I do allow treats, they are kids, but not an excessive amount by any means. We have popcorn on movie night, a snack is a snack and kids are kids. Simple as that.

Nope. They dont eat McDonalds every day but they dont eat a 5 course meal with fruits and veggies every meal either.

I don't. My son probably had an obese BMI when he was a baby and completely breastfed, but since then he's been slim.

Most here say no, with a side explanation that states concern about obesity.

My situation is a bit different (like a lady a little over me) - my son of 3 years is VERY active and at the same time he is a picky eater.

So while I don't rigorously count his calories I watch what he's eating to make sure his energy intake is HIGH ENOUGH to sustain his activity level and I keep tabs on how his weight/height is developing.

Furthermore I make sure that what he eats is of good nutritional quality - which isn't that hard as he's not into candy and that sorts of things (on the other hand he likes white bread very much).

yes and no
since i been counting calories i've realised whats in foods and how much i've actually been feeding my children, sonow i'm more self aware now and in that sence mke sure feed them betterand in moderation.

they have no idea i'm counting nor do they know ive changed theirs. They just think their trying all this new food.

I would never count calories for my children.

I make sure they get enough healthy choices at every meal. They don't get seconds unless they eat their vegetables and dessert is a rare thing here.

However, we do have conversations about which foods are the healthiest. We have "all the time foods" such as chicken breasts, vegetables, cheeses, milk, fish, etc and "sometimes foods" such as candy, cookies, and ice cream. They both (3&5 year old girls) know that when they're hungry they can definitely have an all the time food but the results will be mixed for a sometimes food. Oh and they love helping me cook and picking out foods on their own.

That being said, they're very active and sometimes have to be made to sit still to eat. It's not that they aren't hungry it's just that they would rather do something else than sit at the table and eat their dinner. So, yes sometimes I have to tell them to eat X more bites. I sincerely hope that I'm not setting them up for any disorders but right now they're both underweight and need the nutrition.

No.

IMO you can do more damage than good. Especially while they are still growing. Sometimes kids just need a crazy amount of calories.

I monitor what my kids eat, not how much they eat. I do try to make sure my youngest has calorie dense food though because he only eats one good meal a day (refuses to eat most meals most days). All meals are healthy, most snacks are healthy. Calories never really come to mind when I'm feeding two over active boys. Lol.

My (almost) 3 year old is over weight (44lbs 40"), always has been big since birth and it's been a constant stress for me trying to keep her calorie consumption down. I dont count her calories per se, maybe I should, just try to stop her eating too much. She will literally spend all day every day begging for food and i'm constantly having to say no it's a nightmare. It's very hard to explain to her why she can't be eating all the time though, she's not old enough to understand why i'm saying no.

I don't count calories, but try to help them to make healthy choices. I also only allow desserts on weekends. They have picked up on much of what I do (mine are 4 & 7)