Could you be making your own children fat? It is true that the lifestyle you live could be making it easier for your children to pack on the pounds. In fact, some of the things that you do in order to make your life easier could be causing your children to be overweight and out of shape.

You might find that you allow your children to take part in sedentary activities when you are tired at the end of a long day. Allowing your children to watch too much television or play too many video games can add to the possibility that he or she will gain excess weight. Limit the amount of time your children can spend sitting around while they watch television, play games or surf the Internet.

Do not allow your children to lounge around all day long on their days off. Encourage your children to go outside to play. Help your child to select one or two athletic activities in which they would like to participate. Your young son might want to play Little League baseball or Midget football. Your daughter might enjoy soccer or softball. Older children might participate in football, basketball, tennis, golf, hockey and any number of other sports.

Create fun family activities for your children over the weekend. Take them to the local roller skating rink. Spend an afternoon at the ice skating rink. Enjoy some music and dancing to your children’s favorite songs in the middle of the family room. Take your family for a day of miniature golfing. There are activities to fit everyone’s interests if you take the time to plan outings with your kids.

Think twice before you pull up to that drive-thru window at the local fast food restaurant. Your entire family’s waistline will start to expand if you eat too much fast food. Most fast food options are high in calories and fat. The same is true for much of the food that is served in restaurants, fairs and at other events.

Pass up the snack food isle the next time you go grocery shopping for your family. Do not load the cart with chips, dip, candy, bake goods and or other junk food items. Eating a treat every now and then is harmless, but too many sweets and salty foods can result in weight gain for your children.

Purchase healthy snacks such as pretzels, flavored crackers, yogurt, fruits and vegetables. Take the time to cook well balanced meals for your family rather than eating out frequently or preparing highly processed dinners. If you do not have much time to cook during the week, try preparing some meals in advance that you can freeze and thaw as needed.

Encourage your children to drink milk for healthy bones. Serve spring water with your meals. Do not keep much soda pop on hand for your children to drink. Skip the fruit drinks that are high in sugar and calories. Water is one of the best things that your children and the entire family can drink. Make other higher calorie drinks a treat rather than the main source of hydration for your family.

Do not make your children fat. If they have a weight problem, do not laugh it off. Never make your child feel bad if they are overweight. Instead, you will want to make lifestyle changes for your entire family. If you are having trouble helping your child slim down, consult with their pediatrician for more help. You can raise happy, healthy and thin children.