What do you do when a child overeats and it shows? Please don’t say offer healthy foods and smaller portions because DCs can easily go to the fridge and pantry to pick up whatever they want when the parents don’t watch.
No advice but sympathy. Having the same issue here. DC is a teenager and loves late-night snacks (and he's up later than us! I can't stay awake!). He looked athletic and slim last year and now he has a big jelly roll and sits in front of a computer all day. It makes me so sad.
@anonymous OP. Mine too. I think it’s the constant accessibility of the fridge and maybe emotional overeating due to online school/no friends. DH takes them out for bike rides and ball games every day but DC just eats so, so much. She’s 9 and eats more than I do. I started locking the fridge now. I don’t know what else to do. Will see behavioral therapist for ADD on Monday :-((
@Anonymous I'm the OR with a 13 year old, who definitely does not have ADD. We also try to exercise with DC every day, but it doesn't compare to the amount of exercise he was getting when he was out at school all day, every day, and on multiple sports teams. His sleep schedule went all out of wack this summer- he'd stay up all night and sleep half the day. He told me at one point that late night (online) chats with his friends were the only fun thing in his life. I thought he'd be back at school at least part-time this fall and that would help him regularize his schedule, but no.
You guys, get your kids out of the house to play and see friends. Childhood overweight & obesity causes lifelong health problems! They are at objectively higher risk of heart disease & diabetes. Please, take care of their whole health and don’t laser focus on this virus.
That's not really helpful. OP says above that they go out to play and ride bikes every day, so they're clearly not "laser focused" on the virus to the point of being shut-ins as you're implying.
But of course all children are spending more time at home right now than they otherwise would. Parents can't take them out all day every day; there's school and jobs to consider. Seeking advice for how to encourage healthier food choices while they're at home makes perfect sense.
OP. Just to clarify: ADD was diagnosed long before Covid. She has a 504 Plan. We have remote school only, every day until 4pm. So that time is spent sedentary. DH and I work from home, yet DH takes them out every day. On the weekends they have tennis lessons. Is it enough? Yes for the older one. No for the younger one as the issue isn’t lack of exercise but eating too much. She eats more than me, a grown woman.
^^ she is a gorgeous, smart and I credibly kind and empathetic person. I am looking for tips to help her in this one aspect in her life. No need to flame or criticize. Re: the poster above: a behavioral therapist doesn’t prescribe medication but helps with tactics and little exercises to manage a diagnosed issue.
Rules about snacks,don't buy junk or binge-able items, buy single servings and dole them out daily. My husband is a candy fiend and he keeps it in his nightstand because we have a child who is a candy thief.
Dear OP, I hear you and I am struggling with this with my DD too. In fact with myself as well as we are all more sedentary and I've been eating way more than usual due to boredom and anxiety about our current situation. I am trying to limit the sweets that we buy and make healthier food. We also try to do video workouts together and remember to go out for walks. It is tough, but maybe doing active things as a family?
The good news is since they barely leave the house, you have total control over what foods you have in the house. So only stock items that are relatively healthy.
This must be so hard. My only advice would be to try to model good behavior. Give small portions so they can go back for seconds without over eating. Make sure that you are eating these portions too and show your DC how to eat only until full. I would also recommend not keeping much food in the house. Put cut up veggies and fruit in the fridge at eye level so that is the first thing they see when they go into the fridge. Just don't buy snack food. I know it is hard but if it isnt in the house, it cannot be eaten. I have had to do this for my kids and it works like a charm. If they ask for something, I just say 'I don't have 'X' but I do have 'Y'. Good luck!
I would argue against seconds. Serve a reasonable amount, plate in the kitchen and ditch family style meals. If my kids are still hungry after a full meal I offer an apple. The issue is that most kids (Americans of all ages, really) eat too quickly.
We had my son out all Day today. Took them to the park, the nursery, and to shop. I “plater” with the kids to make sure they really worked out at the park today. I’ll twke them bike riding later. I’m exhausted but they have been eating like crazy and I don’t want to limit food for growing boys. the hardest is the virtual school. We are all snacking too much and getting chubby
No advice but sympathy. Having the same issue here. DC is a teenager and loves late-night snacks (and he's up later than us! I can't stay awake!). He looked athletic and slim last year and now he has a big jelly roll and sits in front of a computer all day. It makes me so sad.
@anonymous OP. Mine too. I think it’s the constant accessibility of the fridge and maybe emotional overeating due to online school/no friends. DH takes them out for bike rides and ball games every day but DC just eats so, so much. She’s 9 and eats more than I do. I started locking the fridge now. I don’t know what else to do. Will see behavioral therapist for ADD on Monday :-((
@Anonymous You cannot be serious... you’re going to medicate instead of making lifestyle adjustments?
She doesn’t have ADD, she needs her normal fucking life back.
@Anonymous I'm the OR with a 13 year old, who definitely does not have ADD. We also try to exercise with DC every day, but it doesn't compare to the amount of exercise he was getting when he was out at school all day, every day, and on multiple sports teams. His sleep schedule went all out of wack this summer- he'd stay up all night and sleep half the day. He told me at one point that late night (online) chats with his friends were the only fun thing in his life. I thought he'd be back at school at least part-time this fall and that would help him regularize his schedule, but no.
How old is DC?
@Nonna 9
You guys, get your kids out of the house to play and see friends. Childhood overweight & obesity causes lifelong health problems! They are at objectively higher risk of heart disease & diabetes. Please, take care of their whole health and don’t laser focus on this virus.
That's not really helpful. OP says above that they go out to play and ride bikes every day, so they're clearly not "laser focused" on the virus to the point of being shut-ins as you're implying.
But of course all children are spending more time at home right now than they otherwise would. Parents can't take them out all day every day; there's school and jobs to consider. Seeking advice for how to encourage healthier food choices while they're at home makes perfect sense.
@Anonymous lockdown where I live + online "school"
@Anonymous not helpful and patronizing for those under lockdown
OP. Just to clarify: ADD was diagnosed long before Covid. She has a 504 Plan. We have remote school only, every day until 4pm. So that time is spent sedentary. DH and I work from home, yet DH takes them out every day. On the weekends they have tennis lessons. Is it enough? Yes for the older one. No for the younger one as the issue isn’t lack of exercise but eating too much. She eats more than me, a grown woman.
^^ she is a gorgeous, smart and I credibly kind and empathetic person. I am looking for tips to help her in this one aspect in her life. No need to flame or criticize. Re: the poster above: a behavioral therapist doesn’t prescribe medication but helps with tactics and little exercises to manage a diagnosed issue.
^^ incredibly
Rules about snacks,don't buy junk or binge-able items, buy single servings and dole them out daily. My husband is a candy fiend and he keeps it in his nightstand because we have a child who is a candy thief.
Dear OP, I hear you and I am struggling with this with my DD too. In fact with myself as well as we are all more sedentary and I've been eating way more than usual due to boredom and anxiety about our current situation. I am trying to limit the sweets that we buy and make healthier food. We also try to do video workouts together and remember to go out for walks. It is tough, but maybe doing active things as a family?
The good news is since they barely leave the house, you have total control over what foods you have in the house. So only stock items that are relatively healthy.
This must be so hard. My only advice would be to try to model good behavior. Give small portions so they can go back for seconds without over eating. Make sure that you are eating these portions too and show your DC how to eat only until full. I would also recommend not keeping much food in the house. Put cut up veggies and fruit in the fridge at eye level so that is the first thing they see when they go into the fridge. Just don't buy snack food. I know it is hard but if it isnt in the house, it cannot be eaten. I have had to do this for my kids and it works like a charm. If they ask for something, I just say 'I don't have 'X' but I do have 'Y'. Good luck!
I would argue against seconds. Serve a reasonable amount, plate in the kitchen and ditch family style meals. If my kids are still hungry after a full meal I offer an apple. The issue is that most kids (Americans of all ages, really) eat too quickly.
We had my son out all Day today. Took them to the park, the nursery, and to shop. I “plater” with the kids to make sure they really worked out at the park today. I’ll twke them bike riding later. I’m exhausted but they have been eating like crazy and I don’t want to limit food for growing boys. the hardest is the virtual school. We are all snacking too much and getting chubby