I have two kids. My son is almost 12 and my daughter is 2 1/2. They are both underweight. My son takes medication and that along with some genetics is basically why he is skinny. That and he is moving his body all day long. My daughter was born very early and weighed only 1 lb. 6 oz. She is growing like a weed now but is only in the 3-5 percentile for weight.

My husband and I are both fluffy. Call it what you like it all means the same! So, here is my question...how do I stick to a healthy eatting plan when I'm trying to fatten up my kids? (Ok, not so much fatten them up but get them to a healthy weight.) Do you have family members that you cook for that are really small? I have all kinds of snacks in the house for the kids but they are sooooo tempting! I also keep lots of fresh fruit, yogurt, fesh veggies, buffalo jerky for the adults to snack on.

Sorry for the ramble! Thanks!
Lisa

I had to reply on this because my daughter is five and she says "fluffy" too.
But really, Both of my kids are thin not underweight but thin. In my thoughts the 'fattening" up your talking about should be with the healthy food that you are dieting with. With them being underweight they need the vitamans and the other good stuff in the healthy fruits and veggies, which is what your diet probably consists of. Now I'm not a doctor or nurse or anything but that just sounds right to me.

Our kids are all on the average part of the charts but both DH and I are off the charts. I just hope that they continue to be where they are at and not have to worry about weight problems.

Have you talked to their ped about adding pediasure. They can drink that with their meals and get in extra calories without having to add alot of junk.

I would personally try to get them healthy with more fruits, yogurts, lean proteins any type of healthy things you are eating, just give them more of the good stuff rather than the "junk" that they don't need. Like scorpiobby20 said it's the vitamins and nutrients they need NOT unwanted fats from the junk food... "fluffy" I like that word BTW I've never heard it before ... Anyways, giving them a habit of reaching for healthy alternatives rather than a chocolate bar or cookie will be benefit to them in the long term...

Lisa, be careful what you wish for! (Excuse me I can't spell) I have two sons, both were preimies, not as small as your daughter but everybody started out small. The Dr. kept telling me my oldest was under the avarage, and the youngest was over the avarage. I was furious when he said my youngest was overweight in front of him and his brother, talk about sibiling fighiting fuel. Anyway they both started pee-wee football last year, my oldest decided he needed to pack on some weight (11 yrs. old) He drank sooo much milk he got the weight gain he wanted and I spent a small fortuine on husky jeans, I wanted to kill him. My youngest (8 yrs. old) has always been short and stocky, perfect for a little line backer. Anyway, looking at the big picture, I have some nieces and nephews that are really under weight, it's not genetics, it's what they eat (too much junk) I have little junk in my house, both my boys eat low fat like me and some favorites that aren't so low fat. I look at it this way, I was a fluffy kid until I hit the teenage years, I was slim until I had children and a thyroid problem. The big picture is keeping them fit and feeding them a healthy variety food. I have one rule, they can have desert (which is usually low fat for me) if they eat something good first. And I'm not one of those mom's who make my kids eat everything on their plate (which is how my husband was raised), I usually tell them not to take too much, seconds are always available. Oh and I encourage them to try new foods, even if it's something I don't like. Don't worry, just make sure they are getting some good stuff for their little bodies to grow.

Pretty much how we handle it. My MIL is bedridden and was 84 pounds when we got here and took over her care. She's now up to 100. Also, my hubby has Graves disease and they had lowered his medication dosage and now have increased it again because his TH levels went back up and he dropped back down to 124 pounds...at 5' 11" tall. Both of them supplement their meals with Ensure or Boost.

A friend of our family's is a pediatrician, and he gets SO angry at pediasure comercials. . .for a couple of reasons (and this is all pretty much a summary of his frustrated rants.

First, there are a lot of overweight kids in the US (but that doesn't apply to you at all), so advertising what is essentially a calorie fest is SO irresponsible.

Second, because he says our bodies don't register fullness as well with liquids, so the kids don't really learn to listen to their bodies for hunger signs.

Third, "average" is just that--an average. There will always, and should always be people above and below that average. It's just normal for people to grow and change at different weights. My brother was underweight, and I was above average (despite being a ballet dancer, go fig). When we reached adulthood, we were both healthy weights, it just took him a bit longer to reach it. Kids aren't supposed to all be the same weight. . .they're just not.

Fourth, pediasure sets kids up for terrible habits as far as nutrition. . .drinking your calories is just a bad idea, but pediasure says it's ok (and implies through it's quasiscientific name that it's medically sound.

Finally, he says (over and over) if they're not actually sick with cancer or something, kids don't need pediasure. They thrive on healthy diets--lots of fruits and veggies and clean protiens and dairy--just more of it that people actually dieting should have. Their bodies work best with good quality food in them, not processed stuff.

He's been a doctor forever, and remembers how angry he was when he first saw a product designed for sick kids being marketed for healthy ones. It makes no sense---like giving healthy kids insulin injections because it works for diabetic kids. Think about it, Pediasure has been around for a LONG time, but only recently has it been advertised for healthy children. If it was so good for them, it would have been advertised long ago. They're just trying to increase their market share.

Just some thoughts, and probably ones you've already looked at. Seriously, though. . .if your kids are healthy, just underweight, why rock the boat with an overprocessed product? Why not just feed them good food.

And, my last little thing: I teach 7th and 8th grade. I have the students for 2 years. There are tiny kids in my classroom and kids far larger than I am. I watch these kids grow and change through puberty, and many of them go from tiny fragile to hugely tall basketball player size--in 2 years. Your son is just at the beginning of this process, and you don't know how much his body will change during it. Kids aren't an "average" size. . .they're their own personal body size. Maybe your kids are just on the small end of that scale--and that's cool. Plus, I'm sure there's a soccer team out there that would kill for your son---he's the perfect forward, small and energetic---not to mention rock climbing, caving, track, cross country, etc.

anyway, good luck with all of this. . .and with your almost teenager!

--paisley