Here, some ways you can help your tween deal with those challenges.
Get Your Tween to Move More
One of the most common reasons for weight gain during the tween years is a decrease in activity level due to using a computer, playing video games and watching television. It is important that you set a limit for the amount of "screen time" your tween is allowed. Make a time limit for these activities of no more than two hours a day.Research has shown a direct connection between television viewing and childhood obesity. One survey showed that kids who watched four or more hours of television a day had significantly more body fat than kids who watched less. In other words, the more television a child watches, the more likely he or she is to be overweight.
To encourage activity, help your tween understand the many benefits of getting more exercise. If evening rolls around and your tween has not gotten any exercise all day, suggest she take a walk outside between homework and dinner. Or, after dinner, take a walk together while recording a favorite show to watch after the walk. An ideal goal would be to get in a half an hour of activity for every hour of screen time each day.
The best way to get your tween to pursue a healthier lifestyle is to consistently be a good example yourself. This may mean that you also need to become more active and spend less time at the computer or watching television. Plan, provide and participate in physical activities as a family as many days as possible.
To be more active on the weekend, consider some fun activities to do together, such as:
- Going to a museum (there's lots of walking involved as you move from hall to hall)
- Swimming at the community pool
- Doing housework or yard work together
- Taking a brisk walk around the mall before shopping
- Going to a beginner's health club class together
- Doing a fun exercise video together in your living room
- Walking at a track, through a scenic area, or even just around the perimeter of your apartment building
- More from About.com Pediatrics: Small Steps to a Healthy Family Lifestyle
Help Her Make Better Food Choices
If you notice your child is gaining weight, it's tempting to want her to go "cold turkey" when it comes to junk food; but it's better to set boundaries regarding certain foods before you remove them from the home or stop including them in your child's lunch or snacks. Try not to refer to any of the foods you keep in your home as "good" or "bad" as that too sends mixed messages to your tween. (She may think, why is "bad" food even in the house in the first place?)Avoid deeming foods as being completely off-limits. Instead, regard those less-than-healthy choices as treats to be enjoyed only occasionally. Think of how boring eating would get if you never indulged in a treat! Sweets, cookies, and chips do not have to be forbidden as long as they are viewed as an occasional indulgence.
Research has shown that parents being overly restrictive about food allowances may actually backfire. This type of behavior can result in the child having an increased preference for high-fat, high-calorie foods. While you do want to be the one in control of the choices of foods available in your house, you don't want to be a "food cop" either. It's important to find a happy medium where you tween can view your suggestions as helpful advice, rather than admonishment.
Keep in mind that you should not provide food as a reward or use limiting or disallowing particular foods as punishment. Food should be viewed as a source of nourishment, and using it as a method of punishment can lead to confusion and even disordered eating.
- More from About.com Child Care: Avoid Junk Food Traps
Ask your tween about which foods are her favorite, as opposed to the foods she eats because they are "just there" and within reach. Discuss which of those foods provide the most nutritional benefits. Talk about how food provides fuel for school work and playing, rather than entertainment or a way to alleviate boredom (which may often be the case at snack time).
Snacks should not be eliminated from your tween's diet. It is important for tweens to have healthy snacks, so schedule and plan them just like you do meals. Snacking reduces hunger pangs between meals and takes the edge off of hunger before mealtimes, preventing overeating. To make snacking easier, buy single-serving packages of your tween's favorite foods as often as possible, and pre-prepare snacks so that they are ready and within reach when you aren't around.
- More from About.com Teen Parenting: Bad Food Habits and How to Fix Them
Packing a child's lunch can help you ensure that what she's eating is nutritious. But, bringing a brown bag lunch, instead of buying something to eat at school, can be a bone of contention at this age. To make things easier, let your tween help you plan and prepare bag lunches. Buy a new lunch box for her as an incentive for taking it to school. Encourage her to take her lunch three days a week and buy lunch only twice.
Some healthy brown bag lunch foods are:
- 100% whole-grain bread
- Lean meat, such as turkey
- Reduced-fat cheese
- Low-fat yogurt
- Baby carrots or sliced raw vegetables
- Low-fat bottled smoothies
- Fruit
- Whole-wheat tortillas
- Small tossed salad
- Soup (if a microwave is available)
Next Page: Better Lunch-Line Choices
