I need help teaching my 8 yr old...

What about setting some limits on the TV time or getting the family involved in some physical activities? My sister-in-law has the same issues with her kids (about the same age and heavier than your step daughter). The kids have started to lose weight since she has banned the TV during the week and the family goes on daily walks after dinner. I don't know how much they've lost, but it was noticable last time I saw them.

Would she be interested in taking a dance class, studying a martial art, playing soccer or doing something active like that with kids her own age? Summer is coming and it's a PERFECT opportunity to start building good habits with fun exercise!

I think getting her active would be more important than limiting how much food she wants to eat (as long as the foods available are all or mostly healthy). Maybe you can talk to her and see if you can come up with a physical activity that she can be excited about; you might be pleasantly surprised. There's always the wii fit if she likes video games.

I would also say limit tv for all. If tv is a battle may you could do that wii thing and do the sporting games or they do have a dance game that you put on the floor and hook up to your tv and you have to keep up with it so that would be fun exercise. Go to sporting events track and field or basketball games at you local high school see if she gets excited about any sports. My daughter tried out for everything she was over weight and made fun of she was not an excessive eater just a big girl. She found she could throw the shot put and discus in middle school. She was very good, and the friends she made in sports were wonderful that was the first time she ever felt excepted in anything. She continued in High School be came State and National Champion got scholorships for college. Then became a weight lifter now she trains at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Spgs. She is still a big girl 240 pounds 5' 11" but has found her nitch. She's training for the 2012 Olympics in London. So maybe she won't be the skinny girl but she can be the healthy girl. Walks and bike riding would be fun to if there's a park near you, that would be a fun walk and when you get there play a game of kick ball. Hula hoop ,jump rope, hopscottch,roller skating have fun ad good luck, oh four square

Have you spoken to her GP abouthis? I know weight loss is a tricky situation with young children.

Also, shes growing, maybe thats why she is not losing? Id say if she is maintaining and not gaining you are doing everything right, she may well "grow into her body" as it were. Where she gets older but her weight stays the same, untill she is at a healthy weight for her age.

also... buy her a puppy :laugh: If shes anything like me when I was little you wont ever get her to stop playing with the dog. :happy:

Your little girl is very lucky to have you in her life. I don't have children myself but I, as many of do, have a bad realtionship with food. I am an emotional eater and have been for many years, so was my mother. I'd like to suggest that not only contiue the exersise (making it fun) and healthy snacks and portion control but also therapy. Given what you have said about her early childhood you may want to consider taking her to a Clinical social worker or psycholigist that specialize in children. The bottom line is that she is eatting to live but also eatting to feel better and fill a void.

Show her love and take care of yourself and that will be a great example to her.

Much love!

Thank you for being a caring adult! I had similar issues at that age. I was experiencing a lot of depression. My parents took me to therapy and that very very much helped. Unfortunately my dad was laid off and it only lasted for a year... I was sexually abused and that's why I did it. I was definitely binge eating at 8. I had my first eating disorder at 12. Body image is such a tough thing at that age. One of the best things my parents did for me because I was being bullied was put me in karate. It's so much fun, and in training for tournaments in high school I really started to eat and exercise to do better in the ring. Its not as scary as it sounds if you find a good school that doesn't tolerate contact. I took Shotokan karate and now I coach (my JR Yellow belt team went to provincials a few years back and beat the brow belts in one event! I get so much MORE satisfaction out of that now!). Karate really is an activity for anyone and if she gets sore knees from her weight (I did at first) a good instructor can modify it so that it suits her body. Perhaps make it a family thing and take a class together (we have 4 families in my one little class that I take and they have a blast). But the BIGGEST thing I recommend is counseling. I'm going for it now as an adult because I honestly think that unless I deal with the emotional problems underlying my overeating I'm never loosing weight. And the great thing about a good child counselor is they aren't focusing on how much you weigh but how you FEEL and how to cope with it! Good luck and again thank you for being such a wonderful caring adult in her life! It really has been the difference between life and death for me. Let me know if I can help in any way!

-Angie