How do I change my child's eating habits?

Question

I have 8 year old twin who are now slightly overweight. They both eat when they're bored. They seem to constantly be asking for snacks, dessert, drinks, etc. I do not allow them to snack all day long and when I tell them no, they act like it's the end of the world. They will be off in their room crying because I have denied them a popsicle in the middle of the day even 10 minutes after they've had lunch. My mother in law is constantly bringing them food and when they go over there she insists that they eat "plenty". I think they give her the impression that my husband and I deny them proper nutrition. Likewise, they spend at least 1 night a week with my sister in law at her apartment. They constantly comment to me about how when they're there, they eat all the food including junk like ice cream and cake that they want. How do I get my girls to quit thinking they need to eat so often? I do not want them to have to live with the cruelties of being overweight.

Answer 1

Why are they going to your sister-in-laws house once a week, if you don't like what they're being given to eat?   I'm sorry but it sounds like your twins are either at their grandmothers or their aunts most of the time, so when they're home they're are bored.  Are they playing any sports?  Take them for walks, it sounds like they're not busy enough.

Answer 2

you are the parent -take control.if they want  a snack give them fresh fruit or vegetables, if they cry then you have to just put up with it . it is similar to an addiction. buy them some vitamins and try giving them more healthy food. my 3 year old eats broccoli ,cucumbers and side salads as a snack.most 3 years old wont touch anything green.but this is because i taught her it is healthy and she loves them

Answer 3

There desires will not change overnight.  You have to make wise choices in the eating patterns of the whole family.  Snacks should be fruit, veggies, whole grains, nuts etc... Cut out the processed foods.  There are some great kids cookbooks that will encourage better eating and allow them to prepare things for themselves.   I can't remember where, but there are some websites geared towards kids and nutrition.  Do a search for those.  Give them lots of outside activity.  The more they are out running around, riding bikes, skating etc...the less they will think about food.  Good luck!

Answer 4

if they are eating when they are bored try finding some kind of craft etc that they could be doing instead. tell your inlaws tobut out theya re your kids and if they cant respect your rules then they donthave the kids over there it worked with mine.

Answer 5

I have the same problem wiht my 9yr old daughter. SHe gets it from her father, he is overweight and has had some past problems that drove him to wanting food.

The problem that I have is she is alone at home, no brothers or sisters live at home. No kids live nearby for her to play with. WHen she is with kids, she has somethign to do and not wanting to eat.

But the problem is FINDING someoen for her to be friends with. I just put her in girl scouts and 4H, we are in 2 homeschool groups.

She eats I think because she's bored when there's no one around.

I would stop the visits with the sister and mother in law until there is a way you can KNOW they are not feeding them bad foods (about impossible, I know)

Here's some things I do -

Limit computer and tv time to 1 hr a day combined (this is hard when she's alone and bored)

ONLY have good foods in the house. I know this is hard to do, but I told her she ONLY eats what I want her to eat or she doesn't eat. She quickly got the hint.

She HATED wheat bread but got use to it quickly when she could have nothing else.

I have to balance this out though becuase her dad told me if I"m too strict she will eat herself sick when she's not around me, and when she's grown if I restrict EVERY bad food.

So, at almost every meal time I tell her that she can have ONE thing that is 'not so good' such as white bread in stead of wheat, one fruit snack instead of an apple, etc.

So she won't feel so deprived of everything.

She sometimes cries wehn I won't let her eat and says it's a bad habit she has. I think this is true.

It is so hard helping her with this since I've never been thru it myself. Sometimes her dad helps since he HAS been thru it, but  he is also more lenient and isn't as strict on her as I am about the food.

I let her weigh herself each morning. Sometimes it makes her feel bad, but other days it motivates her to want to lose weight.

Sometimes I teach her what each food is good for and how it helps her body. Such as carrots- eyes, milk- bones, etc.

My older girl who is 18 now wanted to eat a lot and gained a lot of weight quickly when she was from 11 to 14 yrs old. She does NOT have a family history of this. Anyway, all of a sudden she lost like 50 lbs in ONE month and got down from 155 to 113!  I guess it was baby fat!

But for my daughter now, I hope this will happen but I just dont' know. Her situation is different.

Oh yea, we started eating apples with 'light'  caramel dip, make our own fruit salads - putting in anythign you want and making it fun,  making smoothies out of different fruit.

And it's hard to believe that a kid can like salads, but she does!  Especially with grilled chicken strips.

Hope this helps!!

Answer 6

well, make  a farm  out of veggies!!!!!!!!!!!

when i was 8 it worked for me!

Answer 7

Start eating differently at home. For snacks we have crunchy carrot sticks, Pnut butter on celery (careful w/ allergies), wheat crackers and hummus, sliced melon. I only buy soda if we are having a party or we are sick (coke/ ginger ale). No sugar cereals. Sounds awful but we are healthy and happy here. We do have cookies occasionally but mostly stick w/ friuts and veggies. If your kids are "hungry" but won't eat what you offer - they aren't hungry but probably bored. Get them involved in a sport that they like. Try gymnastics, horses, karate, swimming ANYTHING to get them out of the house 1 or 2x's a week and active. Plan bike rides together once a week, etc...And please have a discussion with your relatives about your kids diets and health. Even bring their pedi into it if you have to or (please forgive me here) you could even fib a bit to the in laws and say heart disease, diabetes, etc run on your side of the family and their pedi is concerned...

Don't mention the weight issue to your kids, bring in more activities instead. In todays society your girls could become too self concious and end up w/ eating disorders.

Good Luck!!