If your 9 year old daughter came to you wanting to go on a diet? - Page 2

sherigraph · 07-12-2007, 12:00 AM

My daughter went through a phase of pudgyness around the age of 10 or so. Nothing bad. She kept saying she was fat and I told her no she wasn't. That as she got older and taller, she would slim down. That her body was going through some changes. She never mentioned diets, but I told her we could start by eating more fruits, drinking more water and just eating healthier. She was ok with that. I think kids at that age should not be on a diet, just learn a better and healthier way to eat.

Polly · 07-12-2007, 05:25 AM

If she were seriously over weight, I would tell her she is making a wise decision to take better care of herself and

her find a good healthy diet that would be one that she could live with and

her get more

.

If she were not overweight I would tell her she does not need to diet. She can eat healthier if she wants to as that is always a good thing but I would explain that once you start "dieting" when you don't need to , you actually end up setting yourself up for a lifetime of dieting. I know, I did that. After you go off dieting, your body stores more fat for the next 'famine'. I did it so many times as a teenager that now I am overweight and no longer have the will power to diet. I'm not sure if I would have listened if an adult told me this but it may have made a difference and maybe I wouldn't have as much of a problem now.

LilBitOfHeaven · 07-12-2007, 10:20 AM

I agree w/ what many women posted before me.
1st I'd ask her why she wanted to lose weight.
I'd talk to her about healthy eating. This is not the same as going on a diet.
There are many website which show how girls need more calicum.
My daughter who is 7 doesn't like milk. We have talked about other ways to get the calicum she needs.

I'd talk to her about body image. How important it is to believe in herself.
Not in what others think, not in what the media thinks, what SHE thinks.

If my daughter was overweight, I would support her in

ing to provide
more

for her. I wouldn't put her on a diet.

lisalee61 · 08-16-2007, 07:14 PM

I would ask my child why they felt that they needed to go on a diet. I think celebrities bring about a lot of self immage issues with young girls, wanting to look just like they do. I would explain how dangerous it was to go on a diet at that age. I would talk with my child about eating healthier and perhaps asking them to join me for some walks and excercise to make them feel better about themself. If this were not a solution, and the child were very serious, then I would take them to a doctor and discuss this with the doctor.

dyamondrose · 08-16-2007, 07:30 PM

If my 9 year old wanted to go on a diet I would tell her she looks great just the way she is. I don't think kids should be dieting. We as parents should show our kids to choose healthier snacks instead of junk food.

keeverman · 08-16-2007, 07:30 PM

This one hits home to a point, only it was the doctor saying she was on the above average scale and that we needed to do something about it. Well first of all I hate those above, below and average scales. Not all children can be average. Granted depending on how above or below they are they do need

. But when I researched her weight, on-line, both sites said she was had a potential to be overweight but was ok where she was at. We just watched her and talked about how being overweight can be an issue and bad for your health. We also talked about the fact that it is a health issue and not as much as an appearance because what's on the inside is more important than a persons looks. Because my MIL is obese we also discussed how poorly she is in health and how little she ever wants to do and other issues she has because of her weight. If my daughter came me and wanted to go on a diet we would have to discuss the

, why she felt that way, look into whether it was necessary, etc. I would have to say no if I felt and had no proof that it was necessary. I would also point out the reasons I feel it's not necessary and other aspects of herself to look at rather than her weight.

lifeisgood · 08-16-2007, 08:05 PM

I try to teach my children that their inner beauty far outweights their outer beauty. So if my daughter were to come to me saying that I would know that their was an problem somewhere else. I would question her to find out the true problem. If it were peer pressure I again would explain to her that the only one who mattered what she looked like was her. I try to instil that in my children now and hopefully that problem will never come up. But in the real world these problems do exist, even with all the preparation in the world. So hopefully I would get to the bottom of the problem by quesitons, questions, questions!

wahmamy · 08-17-2007, 12:23 PM

If my child wasn't overweight I would have a serious talk with them and

them educate themselves about body image and nutrition. There is so much emphasis and attention on weight and pressure to be skinny. I want my girls to be healthy and have a healthy self image. I would find out why and what they think a diet really was. That is so young to really understand. If they were overweight and were recogonizing they want to lose weight I would

them research that as well and get with a dietician that can

them and in a positive way eat healther and increase activitity instead of "dieting".