Parenting Expert Advice Sally Goldberg, Ph.D., is a professor of education at the University of Phoenix and parenting specialist. Through her books, articles, presentations and one-on-one coaching she empowers parents to solve problems.  She gives weekly parenting classes in different locations in Scottsdale, AZ.  If you would like to contact Dr. Sally, you can reach her at 480-766-6323 or at www.authorsden.com. Click to access more archived parenting expert advice

Obesity and Your Child
by
Sally Goldberg, Ph.D.

Question.  Is there anything I can do to protect my child from the problems of obesity?


Answer.  The first step is awareness. It is important to be aware that this problem may be lurking in different places.

Here are three prominent areas:
        1. Your child�s Self-Esteem
        2. Hands-on Interactive Play
        3. Healthy Living Patterns
    While you may have thought that by following sound healthy living patterns your child would be completely protected, you now know that self-esteem and play are two other major areas of your child�s world that can impact him/her greatly.

                I Your Child�s Self-Esteem

    The better your child feels about him/herself the more active and self-directed he/she will be.  Life�s rewards will be more likely to come from the inner satisfaction connected with accomplishment than from the outer stimulation connected with sweet foods or entertainment-type activities.  Here are some popular strategies for helping your child to build inner strength.
        1. Introduce a hobby or craft.
        2. Acknowledge as many attributes as possible.
        3. Use �please� and �thank you� at all times.
Celebrate your child�s uniqueness.  Show him/her respect and appreciation.  Make your child feel valued, needed, and important.  Last but not least, say �I love you.�  Say it in the morning when your child wakes up.  Say it in the afternoon when your child gets home from school.  Say it in the evening before he/she goes to bed.  Say it any time of day or night and as much as you want.  Your child is your special kind of container for love.  The more you put into it, the more room it has for more!

                II Hands-on Interactive Play

Every child is born with natural inborn curiosity.  It is a guiding factor that helps each child stay active, grow, learn, and function at capacity.  Children know exactly what to do to play and learn.  Parents know exactly what to do to reinforce it.  The problem, however, is not with children or with parents.  It is with the complications of today�s times.  Because of all the rushing around, it is easy to inadvertently block the process.  Here are some helpful guidelines for every age and stage.
   * Provide your new baby with sensory activities.
   * Encourage your crawling baby or toddler to explore.
   * Provide your two-year-old with cards, paper, blocks, and other manipulatives to experience.
   * Interact with your preschooler in his/her world of imaginative play, nursery rhymes, songs, cut-and-paste, and creative projects.

                III Healthy Living Patterns

        The more you set up rules, regulations, and schedules related to traditional health habits, the less opportunities your child will have to eat non-healthy snacks, watch multiple hours of TV or DVD�s, play videogames, or overdo computer activities.  Once a balance is set for nutrition planning, activity routines, and sleep schedules, your child is likely to remain fit.  Remember that fresh fruits and vegetables are truly delicious to children.  Rest assured that children naturally love to run around and enjoy the outdoors.  Feel confident that a meaningful winding down time combined with an appropriate bedtime play a major role in the quantity and quality of your child�s sleep.  Schedules can always be broken, but their structure is what will be there to help you.

        In this beautiful month of May, I hope you will see your child�s inner beauty blossom.  Have fun as you all play and learn.  Eat moderately and enjoy as many meal times together as possible.  Hopefully, you will not find any of that pesky obesity lurking in your child�s world.

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Sally Goldberg, Ph.D. is a professor of education at the University of Phoenix and parenting specialist. Through her books, articles, presentations, and one-on-one coaching she empower parents to solve behavior and learning problems.  Visit her on her new blogs at www.mommyperks.com/drsally and www.arizonamama.typepad.com. Dr, Sally gives parenting classes in different locations in around Phoenix, AZ.  For questions or comments, please contact her at 480-766-6323, drsally@drsallyparenting.com, and www.drsallyparenting.com.