Motivating Your Child to Lose Weight

Motivation is a tough nut to crack. Everyone is motivated by different things. This could not be more true

than it is for children. Some of the children I work with are motivated to reach their goal with the expectation of an extrinsic (external) reward from day one through month six. Other children never find a reward system motivating. Many children that I work with seem to be initially motivated by an external reward and after a few months are satisfied with meeting their goals and making progress that they become internally motivated to continue with their behavior change - this is the ideal scenario but does not happen to everyone!

Every child, every person, is different but it is very worthwhile for parents to work with their child to figure out what motivates their child so they can continue to positively encourage and support them while they are making healthy changes.

That being said - there are "good" rewards and "not-so-good" rewards 

(I hesitate to say bad).

I recently used this example with a group of parents: "You know when you wake up on Sunday and you feel like you should go on a family outing? That is the perfect opportunity to create a reward for healthy behaviors that you want to enforce!" 

In general, rewards should NOT be:

• Expensive
• Food Related or
• Overshadow the real reward which is to feel good and be healthy!

Rewards SHOULD be:

• Something that interests and motivates the child - not just something the parent would like!
• Given to the child very soon after the child reaches his/her goal
• Active!
• Completed together with parent and perhaps other family members

Successful Reward Ideas (the short list):

• Hike, bike ride, walk
• Visit/picnic in the park 
• Walk and/or visit the library 
• Bowling
• Ice skating
• Zoo
• Trampoline place
• Bounce house place
• Museum 
• Game night (hours of monopoly, Poker!)
• Puzzle night
• Trip to craft store for an activity

Have fun with your kids and celebrate their success. No matter how insignificant it may seem,  small progress is GOOD progress!