one child overeating and gaining too much, the other not eating enough and not gaining - Page 2

[lonegirl]

FWIW my son, 4, has stayed around the same weight now for nearly a year.  He has dropped from around the 75th to 50th percentile....I am not in the least concerned as he growing tall and leaning out....his height% has increased on the chart.  I find it is important to listen to him....if he is hungry he has the options of a few healthy snacks and he eats til full.  He is a bit of a nibbler and will have say 1/2 banana then 1/2h later comment that he is hungry and will have a small full fat yogurt or cottage cheese, he seems a bottomless pit throughout the day but only nibbles on what he is given at the time.  I just ensure there are always healthy snacks and meal options available all day, everyday and I don't focus on it.

With regards to your daughter....I understand your concern of her approaching the higher end of the chart (I am and almost always have been heavier)....but perhaps her body is preparing for a growth spurt?  She is not off the charts but still within them.  When she snacks I would suggest making sure she gets a balance of protein and carbs together.  My son loves baked spicy black bean tortillas but he only gets them to munch on with cottage cheese to help balance out the carbs.  Same as if he wants a few crackers I give him cheese slices with it, or a slice of bread with peanut butter.  The protein and fat help to fill you up and keep your glucose levels from crashing down...that is why a plain baked potato is higher on the glucose index than a baked potato with butter and sour cream. 

Another thought I had was...if your son is getting chocolate milk do not deny your daughter but perhaps mix the chocolate and white milk half and half.  Oh and really do not keep denying your daughter the fattier treats as you are setting her up to crave them more...seriously if you are having dessert than everyone should get the same thing.  So not ice cream for one and sorbet for the other.  A small dish of ice cream is much more satisfying and filling than sorbet and I know I would have been angry at my mom if she kept giving my little brother the supposed forbidden treats and not me.  FWIW growing up I was chunky and my brother was skinny.  My brother is now no where near skinny (although very tall) and before my son I was fit/healthy/lean for a good 10years....

I think the most important thing you can do for both of your children is to teach them healthy eating habits.  Everything in moderation.  Be active (how much activity/exercise are both getting?)

I want to wish you luck!!

[BellinghamCrunchie]

I wouldn't worry about your son at all. I wouldn't worry about trying to get extra calories in him or anything. He was at 70%? He just had a growth spurt is all. Its not like he's been chronically underweight. I wouldn't even consider him underweight at this point.

But I would worry about your daughter. I understand that many people believe its a pre-puberty thing, but what I'm seeing is girls that gain a ton, slim up a bit at puberty, then gain again, ending up overweight in their late teens and having troubles with weight all their lives. That she would pretty much eat seconds and even thirds seems to me to indicate a satiation problem.

I wouldn't make different foods for each child. I would just do healthy, period. Offer more fats/proteins and limit carb choices (away from grains and towards fruit, with no limit on amount). Whole milk as long as grains are decreased (the fat will help her feel satiated- but you don't want to combine fat with grains because that causes quite an insulin spike, which causes feelings of hunger, making a nasty cycle of overeating). Both children will benefit. And make increased activity part of your lifestyle (a family evening walk?); desserts either fresh fruit or limited to once a week. Also the B vitamins can really stimulate appetite - is she getting a multi? Maybe consider stopping the multi for a couple months and see if that helps any. (I know, I know... our current culture seems to think vitamin supplements are an essential part of our diet so I'm sure you'll get a lot of opposing advice).

[CarrieMF]

 As a child I was chubby while my sister was not

So this is a genetic trait.  I'd let the food issues go on both of them & feed them the same things. 

I have a cousin who was super super skinny as a child, she was underweight & the dr's wanted her fattened up.  her brother was slim but not underweight.

They both have kids.  The girl cousin who was super skinny has average weight kids who were fat babies.  Her brother who was average weight has underweight kids.