I've seen a few threads here about overweight children written from the point of view of the parent but I haven't seen any from the point of view of the child.

I'm 26 and I went on my first diet at 8 years old. It was a necessity, I was significantly overweight and had started being bullied.
My mother has always been slightly overweight so we went on a diet together, it being adapted for a child. I think I had then about 10-12lbs to lose and it was advised that I try to lose it very slowly, consequently my mother got to her target weight before I did and lost interest in the diet. I never did get down to the correct weight and before long I had put back on the weight I had lost and some more and so it started again.

This pattern was repeated many times over the next 10 years and never at any point did I get close to my target weight. I was enthusiastic the first couple of times but after that it all seemed so hard.
All the products in the house were low fat or low calorie so when I started a new diet I didn't get the immediate results of switching like some people do.

The bullying continued and it wasn't just from other children. My grandma made the cruelest comments about how I looked but then gave me sweets. I understand she was quite commplementary about me behind my back but still.
It wasn't made any easier by my younger brother who is built like a whippet always tending towards being underweight if anything. He didn't understand the situation and still doesn't. My mum would buy sweets and things from him which I wasn't allowed to have. They were however in the house and I soon found ways of getting them or other things if they were available. It is hard for a child to be restricted but to see others get what they want.

Don't think I blame my family for the state I am in now but there were things they could have done differently that might have helped. If I had got this under control the first time it became a problem, I might not be where I am now.

If your child needs to lose weight give them all the support they need. If you are controlling what your child is eating but they are not losing weight, chances are they are cheating in some way, find out how and put a stop to it. If you have more than one child try not to give to the rest if one is being denied, it will only make the whole process harder.

Being overweight throughout my childhood, teens and into my twenties has destroyed my self-esteem and stopped me from thoroughly enjoying my life up until this point.

Please if you have overweight children help them to beat the problem as early as possible. I don't want others to go through what I have gone through.

I so appreciate hearing your point of view. I am very glad you took the time to write. I have a son who is a bit over weight. He is only 10 and old school says not to worry so much as kids are growing. But we do have an overweight epidemic assaulting our children now a days. I have been working with him but am concerned I am pushing too hard. He has started sneaking....food. That broke my heart and told me that my way was not effective. I finally just said "Look I am concerned....I will try not to nag....but I am concerned. Hiding is definitely not healthy."

Do you have any other suggestions? I am of the thinking that we don't "diet" per se. We work to balance the amount consumed with nutrition guidelines and level of activity.

That's what I try to do for myself. Wouldn't that work for him too? How can I help him understand? Before he has to hear it from an outside source?

I have been having this same issue with my daughter as she is overweight.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I rejoined WW and she asked if she could too. I told her no, but here is what we can do for you.
I printed off the food pyramid and we sat and talked about it. I asked her what foods she thought she was getting the right amoount of and which foods she was getting too much of.....she nailed it....not enough fruits & veggies too many carbs and sweets.
The past 2 weeks she has made a strong effort to eat more fruits and veggies and has cut back on her unhealthy snacks. She also has started to read labels to look at serving sizes too.

She is, and always has been active. She plays softball from march through october and then switches over to basketball for the winter.

I have not weighed her and did not want to either. I do not want to get her started on using the scale as her only guide of how she is doing....at her age I just want her to eat better and think of it that way instead of already getting the diet mentality. If she didn't start doing what she has been doing the past couple of weeks, then I would have thought about it, but she is doing well since we had our talk.

Good luck!!!!