how to curb daughter sneaking snacks?

Despite me making careful choices and minimally processed lunch and dinner meals my daughter has managed to become overweight by sneaking treats. She is 8 and quickly growing out of size 12 pants. The lengths are always too long and she is always wanting to look like the other girls with their skinny jeans and boots but she doesn't fit into anything comfortably except sweats, stretchy pants, etc.She has been doing this for years, since age 3 when I'd find candy wrappers stashed under her bed and stuffed in the couch cushions. Now she doesn't need to be so sneaky. Everywhere she goes there are snacks and treats aplenty. Candy at school for good work, snacks (usually not good choice snacks either) after sports practice, snacks when she visits friends, snacks at Girl Scouts meeting.... you get the idea. She usually asks for seconds and will receive them too. I once told my neighbor she didn't have to give my daughter snacks when she visited and instead of simply saying OK she said "Oh I don't mind, my kids eat constantly". What do you say at that point? Yeah well your kids aren't gaining weight faster than average so don't make my kid any fatter than she already is. People tend to be somewhat judgmental when you start ragging on your own child saying it's only baby fat when clearly she is well past being a baby.Counter this with a son who can't keep weight on so I have to feed him constantly. He is naturally very slim but also very active with running so he burns even more calories. So I don't mind him eating cookies or cheese or having an extra dinner helping.I fear this power struggle it has become has potential to go the other way someday where she resorts to purging or starving. I don't know how else to approach this anymore because simply demonstrating good habits is not working. But it's truly sad that in a period of 1 year she has gone from a size 8 to almost a 14. The doctor doesn't say much because she's not seen as that overweight as to affect her health (yet). She usually gives a speech on making good choices, exercising- the usual suspects.Any advice or experience with weight issues in children I would appreciate.

How to Help Your Family Lose Weight

Recommended Answer:

Well, let me tell you what i understood: the problem is your kid getting overweight which can affect her health, which happened because of her sneaking and eating snacks. Well i think the question and solution here is: why is she eating snacks? And more so,, why is she sneaking them? If you can find an answer to that, you will have the problem solved. I can't say for sure, but maybe you've been too strict, stressing so much on healthy eating and not letting her have innocent snacks. She's a kid after all. Maybe it's the fact that she sees her peers being allowed snacks all the time and she feels like you're restricting her food access. Also, i'm sure she's very frustrated that her brother can eat all that much and stay thin and she can't. (i'd be too).Also, i know this may sound weird or dumb, but really-sugary, hugh carbohydrates foods (like these snacks) are quite addictive as so is all junk food. This could be one of the reasons why she keeps going back for seconds and thirds etc. Anyways, my advice is: do NOT tell her she's fat/ she'll become fat and DON'T pressure her with healthy eating and not eating junk food. You will only hurt her and push her away. Be very gentle when tackling the subject. Don't talk to her about her looks in a negative way and only talk about your concern about her health and not her weight. You may want to give her one serving of cookies and stuff at least twice a week so that she doesn't start to perceive you as the enemy (which is maybe already does, if she's sneaking food behind your back). Gain her trust and show her you love her and want the best for her.Do try and get help for her. A nutritionist and a counsellor should be able to help you. Maybe it sounds like i'm exaggerating, but better safe than sorry,right? She's 8, she's still at time for change. Don't wait until it's too late and her weight gets out of control or she develops disordered eating or an eating disorder. Now it's time to act. Good luck!

Other Answers:

• Hi there I feel your pain... I dont have a child with this issue but I was a child with this issue. I'm a normal weight slim 35 year old now but my mother struggled tremendously with me. We did see a naturopath doctor and here is what he told my mother and it seemed to work. (consult your doctor if you feel you need to re: this plan of action)Cut out all cereals and starches - leave only healthy ones like carrots etc...L - Glutamine powder (not sure on dosage) dissolved in water - that helps to not crave sugar (i see your daughter is a sugar addict)Take her for a walk - my poor mother :( i threw temper tantrums and she stuck it out On a side note and some people will object: my mother forced me to eat the food she cooked i mean all the healthy food and a few times i stayed at the dinner table well past 11pm because i refused but then i ate it and wasnt hungry and eventually got used to it...not sure if this info helps but here it is anyway.Good luck :)
• Well rid your home of candy. Don't buy any sugary juices, pops, nada. If you want to give them something special like cookies, make it yourself, You can make something like oatmeal raisin.Candy at school: bring this up with her teacher. Honestly, I'm surprised about this. All you hear about these days are schools completely banning sweets. Talk to the teacher about your concern, or even bring it up with the principal. I bet you'd find a lot of parents who don't find it appropriate to encourage kids with food.Sweets after sports practice: talk to the coach. What kind of sports, what kind of sweets, what kind of portion sizes and who's supplying? Maybe you could talk to the coach about parents bringing their own packed snacks for after practice, or each parent volunteering to make snack for the day. If she only has a meet-up once a week, I wouldn't really worry about it.Your neighbour: "you don't need to give my daughter snacks when she visits" instead, try "I've been worried about my daughters health and i'm trying to cut some unnecessary treats out of her diet. Could you help me by not making them readily available at your house?Fruit, fruit, fruit. Natures natural treats. Stock the fridge with fruits. Get her to come with you to the fresh market to pick out some favourites. Make smoothies.Make homemade popsiclesGet her to pick what kind of fruit she wants in her daily lunch.Exercise more with her. Why don't you guys go out together for a daily walk or run? Ride bikes? Maybe add a family swim time to your weekly schedule. Try enrolling together in a yoga class, or maybe zumba, that's fun.If your sure its the sweets, you'll just have to be more diligent in what she eats.If she really is eating a reasonable amount of sweets and exercise, take her to the doctor to make sure she doesn't have any issues like an out of wack thyroid that may be making it impossible for her to loose weight
• You can't blame your daughter for starting to mess with junk food at age 3, because at that age, you are the one who is buying the junk into the house. Take all her money away so she can't manage to buy any snacks on her own. You don't buy any snacks into the house. Then she'll have no access to junk food. Even if she does at school, her intake will be significantly decreased. Stop buying cheese or peanut butter into the house. Those foods are extremely fattening and very unhealthy.
• Control her food. Don't make it about weight or a punishment, but make it about being healthy and eating proper portions. Lock cupboards if you have to, give her things at certain times, and make it clear to other parents and authority figures that she's not to have certain things/seconds even if she asks. If it makes it easier, try saying she has food sensitivities and you want to control the ingredients and such. MY parents never controlled what I ate- I ended overweight and teased, and it caused me to starve and get an eating disorder. You need to teach her healthy habits now- yes there's a risk of developing an ED, but an even better chance if she grows up overweight and ends up getting teased.I wish my parents had taught me better and kept an eye on me.
• how about getting involved with your kid in school and other place, ask the teachers to provide healthy snacks as their is a HUGE push nation wide for minimize junk food in school do to the kids all getting so fat. TELL your neighbor NOT to give her any snacks and have nothing but fruit at your house to snack on
• My daughter grew 6 inches and 5 shoe sizes the year she was nine.....
• WOW, how difficult. Power struggle in the works. You have to lock cabinets. Keep only fruit and cut up veggies and dip in the fridge as much as possible. And the parents are easy - she eats too much, I'm trying to stop her snacking, she's overweight. At meetings, let her choose all the fruit and veggies she wants, one cookie or tart or whatever, no seconds. Telling her she shouldn't eat so much is TOUGH. How much does she play? Should be exercising, playing every single day. Take family on hikes, swimming go to the zoo, etc. Get her active to counter all the food.But yeah, having one skinny and one fat is going to be a constant struggle for years to come.