My Grade School aged daughter has become obsessed with food. She wants to eat much too frequently and primarily un-healthy snacks. If I allow her to pack her lunch for school, she takes 100 more than she needs. Also, I have been finding her sneaking foods. She is slightly overweight and I don't want her to become obese. But, I don't want her to go the other direction and develop an opposite eating problem. What should I do?
Pat, Berrien Center, MI
Jeff Winckler, Educator, Father, says:
Healthy habits about diet and excise begin when a person is young. It's very important for school age children to learn how to apply portion control and eat in moderation, as well as understand the...
See More Details
My Grade School aged daughter has become obsessed with food. She wants to eat much too frequently and primarily un-healthy snacks. If I allow her to pack her lunch for school, she takes 100 more than she needs. Also, I have been finding her sneaking foods. She is slightly overweight and I don't want her to become obese. But, I don't want her to go the other direction and develop an opposite eating problem. What should I do?
Pat, Berrien Center, MI
Debbie Drown, Educator, Principal, says:
As always, it is always a good precaution to consult your pediatrician to rule out any physical and/or emotional issues that may be causing the issue.
But, having ruled out physical or... See More Details
My oldest of 4 children will not eat ANY veggies and it is affecting my 5 year olds eating habits. How do I get my 9 year old to eat veggies?
Becky, Myrtle Beach, SC
Jeff Winckler, Educator, Father, says:
Having children eat vegetables can be a real challenge and one many parents face. I think that one good idea is preparing the vegetables(s) in a variety of ways. Serve broccoli with cheese (not too...
See More Details
My oldest of 4 children will not eat ANY veggies and it is affecting my 5 year olds eating habits. How do I get my 9 year old to eat veggies?
Becky, Myrtle Beach, SC
Debbie Drown, Educator, Principal, says:
There are several things that you could try:
- Explain that not eating veggies is not an option, but that he/she may have a choice of veggie each night.
- Have a fun veggie... See More Details
My child is eight years old and she is uncomfortable about her size. She wears a size 10 and she weights about 72lbs. She doesn't like trying on clothes because she thinks she is fat. She tells me that all of her friends are a size 7. She wanted to join a gym, but they won't let her because of her age and that made things worse. Do you think she is overweight? How should I handle this situation?
Patti, Montgomery, AL
Dr. Yinka Davies, Pediatrician, Mother of Two, says:
To completely understand your child's weight it would be important to know her height and therefore be able to calculate her BMI (body mass index). It is important to start to implement a good image...
See More Details
My child is eight years old and she is uncomfortable about her size. She wears a size 10 and she weights about 72lbs. She doesn't like trying on clothes because she thinks she is fat. She tells me that all of her friends are a size 7. She wanted to join a gym, but they won't let her because of her age and that made things worse. Do you think she is overweight? How should I handle this situation?
Patti, Montgomery, AL
Jeff Winckler, Educator, Father, says:
To answer your question directly I'd need to know how tall your daughter is. Then I could look on a height/weight index, as well as a body mass index (BMI) and give you an accurate response....
See More Details
My husband and I are going through the process of getting divorced. I'm working hard to avoid having the split affect the kids, but I can't help but think that we're completely destroying them. Our 3 year old does not seem to notice, but I'm starting to have problems with our 6 year old. He's become really clingy and is starting to get in trouble at school. What can I do?
Elise, Clarksville, PA
Dr. Yinka Davies, Pediatrician, Mother of Two, says:
Going thru a divorce is quite difficult for the entire family. Many children go thru their parents' divorce with relatively few problems and permanent negative effects. Some kids respond to...
See More Details
We recently got a dog to help teach our 8 year old about responsibility. However he's not interested in doing the hard work (poop-scooping, feeding, walking); he just wants to play with the dog and leave the hard work to the adults. How can I teach the responsibility lesson, without making the dog miserable?
Sarah, Springfield Center, NY
Dr. Yinka Davies, Pediatrician, Mother of Two, says:
Caring for a dog teaches a kid responsibility and as a result can instill important life lessons such as kindness, discipline, patience, attentiveness and empathy. As children grow older they become...
See More Details
My 7-year-old son has ADHD. Will getting him into a sport like soccer or karate help?
Sarah, Craftsbury, CT
Debbie Drown, Educator, Principal, says:
Any sport that involves high levels of activity and a fast pace would be good for a child with ADHD. Team sports, such as soccer, will have the added benefit of teaching social skills and teamwork....
See More Details
Our 10-year-old daughter, who used to play volleyball, has just decided sports are for boys! I'm aware of all the benefits of playing sports, in addition to physical fitness, especially for girls. I don't want her to quit. Any suggestions?
Megan, Russel, IA
Debbie Drown, Educator, Principal, says:
A few suggestions to try to dispel the "sports are for boys" idea:
1) Buy tickets to local sporting events for womens' teams at the university nearest you.
2) Watch... See More Details