From Kim, Child's Age 6 - 08/26/09 - IP#: 65.116.144.xxx  Click here to reply  
Hello,
My daughter is 6. She is obese…as confirmed by her doctor. She is also tall for her age. We have seen the dietitian several times and done food diaries. She is very active but loves to eat. We can control portions when she is with us, but we work full-time and she started 1st grade so she has to learn to make better food decisions on her own.
She has a wonderful self image. I absolutely love that she knows she is beautiful. She has many, many friends and has always been popular and well-liked among her peers. I don’t want to do anything that will put any negative self-esteem thoughts in her head.
Her older brother is a tall, skinny kid. We emphasize eating well for proper health for both of them, not for weight control. But I know I am more careful about what I put in her lunch and give her as a snack. My husband and his mother have Type 2 diabetes & are overweight. Since her Dad and Grandma have weight-related health issues, I really want to / need to help her now.
She is not a vegetable lover and calls me out when I sneak purred veggies into sauces or the like. Any suggestions on how to get her to make better food choices without hurting her great self-esteem or how to make veggies more palatable for her without sneaking (since she can taste that anyhow & won't eat it)?
I really appreciate any responses. As I am sure you all know since you are in a similar position, it is so frustrating trying to help without harming.