When your child has an eating disorder, food and weight issues are likely to cause fights. If your child refuses to eat, what you should do? Are you going make him or her eat? Are you going to say anything if you think she's gaining too much weight?
Michele Siegel, author of the book "Surviving an Eating Disorder, says "interventions to change someone eating are appropriate only as part of a well thought out treatment plan under the guidance of a therapist. Except in closely monitored circumstances, attempts at changing someone's eating almost never work." So what could be the best approach to help your child cope up with the disorder?
Your goal is to use the eating disorder as opportunity for the family to grow and change in whatever ways needed in the situation. Which means, you are not only required to allow your child to regain a healthy relationship with food but reassure your relationship with your child and the rest of the family.
Be a good example. Many parents doubt that their attitudes might have caused their child to have an eating disorder. Parents who eat healthfully and exercise regularly are good role models. Children have to have choices but choices must be limited in a way that they will eventually make healthy choices.
Eating disorder in the family is an eye-opener. Every family has its own difficulties. And every difficulty is an opportunity for you to broaden your perspectives. Most of the time, it takes something to go wrong to evaluate what might need to change and get better in the family. Almost everyone are susceptible to the kind of unhealthy thinking about dieting and loosing weight. Let your child realize that being healthy is not necessarily being so thin. Open your ears to their woes. Your child might be having a hard time in school because of weight concerns and this could have drive him or her on loosing excessive amount of weight. Let him or her tell her story.
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating doesn't happen overnight. Thus, treating this kind of disorder will really take time. You need patience and discipline to allow the recovery of your child. Eating disorders are destructive but when you are working patiently for your childs treatment it can be much more easier to achieve the solution.
Michele Siegel, author of the book "Surviving an Eating Disorder, says "interventions to change someone eating are appropriate only as part of a well thought out treatment plan under the guidance of a therapist. Except in closely monitored circumstances, attempts at changing someone's eating almost never work." So what could be the best approach to help your child cope up with the disorder?
Your goal is to use the eating disorder as opportunity for the family to grow and change in whatever ways needed in the situation. Which means, you are not only required to allow your child to regain a healthy relationship with food but reassure your relationship with your child and the rest of the family.
Be a good example. Many parents doubt that their attitudes might have caused their child to have an eating disorder. Parents who eat healthfully and exercise regularly are good role models. Children have to have choices but choices must be limited in a way that they will eventually make healthy choices.
Eating disorder in the family is an eye-opener. Every family has its own difficulties. And every difficulty is an opportunity for you to broaden your perspectives. Most of the time, it takes something to go wrong to evaluate what might need to change and get better in the family. Almost everyone are susceptible to the kind of unhealthy thinking about dieting and loosing weight. Let your child realize that being healthy is not necessarily being so thin. Open your ears to their woes. Your child might be having a hard time in school because of weight concerns and this could have drive him or her on loosing excessive amount of weight. Let him or her tell her story.
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating doesn't happen overnight. Thus, treating this kind of disorder will really take time. You need patience and discipline to allow the recovery of your child. Eating disorders are destructive but when you are working patiently for your childs treatment it can be much more easier to achieve the solution.
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