The "Team" Approach to Kids Weight Control

What really works when it comes to helping children with their weight? There is a list of common themes that I have collected over the years from successful families and one of them is the TEAM approach.

Parents and children who work together as a TEAM to make healthy changes, create a healthy environment, and continually communicate and support each other, tend to be more successful than families where the parent(s) is/are not actively involved in a positive and supportive way. Families where a child is signaled out for being overweight; or where a parent contributes to an unhealthy environment by purchasing and preparing red light foods, eating red light foods in front of the child, taking them out to fast food or treating siblings differently...struggle

So, what does the TEAM approach look like?

•  Parents are positive and non-judgmental of their child's choices. This is hard - it is very hard to watch your child grab an extra cookie - but very important to remember. If a child thinks they are being judged for their food choices, the less likely they will be honest about the choices they are making, therefore, less like to make healthy changes. 
• Parents must be willing to make changes in the house that may be difficult for themselves and other family members like not buying red light foods and eating out less often.
• Parents need to be active participants in the process by exercising with the kids, supporting kids activities and helping to prepare healthy green and yellow light foods.

Try taking a deep breath, taking a step back, and being a team player rather than the parent or the "food police".