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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
drsally@drsallyparenting.com.
Find out
more at
www.drsallyparenting.com.
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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.
************************************************
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.
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