Need advice for my daughter and her weight

 I recall a whole month my children were mystified by purple cauliflower concoctions.

Thank you everyone for the advice! Yes I am trying to lead by example. I also would never bribe my kids like my mom tried with me....we see that never worked. I don't want her to be a slave to the scale or counting calories so I am just going to have to work on portions and the right foods.
Thank you thank you thank you!

check out this website.  www.ellynsatter.com/  She's got some really great info about feeding kids.  Basically, she says it is your responsibility to decide WHAT to serve, WHEN to serve it, and WHERE to serve it (like at the table instead of in front of the TV).  It is your child's responsibility to decide IF she will eat and HOW MUCH she will eat.

My dauhter is 11, 125lbs., & 4'9". She too has asked me about her weight. We looked up her stats on the BMI and talked about them. Then I shared mine. She was spot on with weight as a young child until 1st grade when she started eating carb filled school lunches (that's a whole other thread). She askes if she can go on my walks with me -of course! She played two sports this spring and she is going to an active summer camp. Now we are working on the balanced diet part. Less carbs in her lunch and more fruits/veg. We're also going to pack her school lunch. I'm not making it a big deal but talking to her candidly when she asks questions.

You've gotten tons of good advice from everyone. It is important to focus on health, not appearance ( I don't think that's what you are doing).

My daughter will be 8 in August, and she is starting to gain a little weight. I haven't weighed her lately, but I think she weighs more than she should. BUT the bigger concern I have with her is that she adores carbs and sugar. We have an ongoing battle in our house over this. My husband, who is not overweight, will happily eat ice cream, cookies, candy, or kettle corn every night and in large quantities. And of course since dad is having it, she wants it too. So that's where we're at. I limit the amount of that stuff that comes in the house and I tell them it's because it's not good for them.

I think it's great that you are focusing on health and movement. Those are things everyone needs.

I wish my own mother had been as thoughtful in raising me as you are with your daughter. She tormented me about my weight and appearance. Her excuse was always that it was the truth, so how could I be upset with her for saying it? This despite the fact that she was carrying her own extra weight plus smoking and drinking heavily. Oy. But that's another thread.

I know you want to spare your daughter pain during junior high and high school, but no matter her appearance, she will have some hard times. Remember how even the most popular, best looking, richest kids still had a hard time?  So the best you can do is to continue to help her be healthy and be there for her.

My daughter is only 2 but I have the same concerns because even at this age habits are born and are hard to break. i dont want her stomach to stretch out and her to become obsessed with food like i was/am.

I think my parents did have a lot to do with my complex and possibly my morbid obesity. i felt like my parents were embarrassed of me because they cared so much about my weight and my eating habits. they are very healthy and were super fit and didnt keep junk in the house (mom would make us a lot of quick processed foods as kids because we refused homecooking). so id spend a lot of time at friends houses eating and spent a lot of money on fastfood from a young age.

my parents are amazing and i couldnt ask for better parents but I didnt want to face them unless I was on a diet and i hid a lot from them out of guilt for eating bad and gaining weight.

they often said their concern was due to health but i felt like it was more based on appearances because i wasnt that heavy. i wonder how much affect their desire to see my skinny had on me. you know how sometimes the more someone tells u not to do something the more you wanna do it? i will never know i guess because i do remember always caring more about food than anything else. 

that being said, in my opinion its best to not put too much pressure on her weight no matter how nicely you say it and no matter how good intentions your intentions are.

As someone that grew up as an overweight kid, please be careful that you don't pass your insecurities about weight and how weight has affected your life on to your child.  The focus should be on eating healthy, nutritious food, and increased activity for the entire family and not what the scale says or what size the label in her clothes are.   Also, please be careful not to single her out as the kid that needs "extra" exercise or that needs to cut back the portions...that will build resentment towards you and her siblings who may not have weight issues.

I agree, definitely don't single her out.  If she needs to eat healthy foods, then the whole family does.  Because junk food is not healthy for anyone, no matter what they weigh, and fruits and veggies are good for everyone, no matter what they weigh.

 My 12 yr old son weighs 150.  I'm not worried about his weight as long as I keep him active.

I agree with the others. Keep healthy food in the house and keep her active. My dad offered me $10,000 to lose weight when I was in my 30's. Did not work.

Laura