If you got a chubby kid, he or she probably often gets pinched in the cheeks by older people or even by other children, because “you are so cute!” and, er, “so chubby!” While your kid may take these as compliments, your kid may also take these as confidence crushers. Not only is it made clearer to your kid that he or she is indeed chubby and fat, it is also emphasized that he or she is not like other “normal” kids. So what better thing to do than to encourage your kid to go on a weight loss plan?

But, you may ask, if weight loss schemes are already hard for adults, how much more would they be for your kid? Well, at least one good thing about your child having to shed off extra weight is that they got a parent to encourage and support him or her.

Now, how do you know that the tummy flab that peeks under your kid’s shirt is just “baby fat”? You can start by determining your kid’s ideal weight, then, measure his / her weight. If your kid weighs more than children of his/her age should, your kid is overweight. And if his / her weight is 20 percent beyond the ideal, your kid is obese, which is something that needs more attention. To be sure, however, just go to the nearest health center and have a health practitioner take his weight and body mass index to determine his/her actual condition.

If you confirm that your kid indeed needs to lose weight, then you start your “parental project.” Tell your kid outright that he/she needs to lose weight for his/her own health. You can use a matter-of-factly but conversational tone, so that your kid would take you seriously without being offended. Explain the benefits of weight loss—he/she would be able to do more activities, wear regular size of clothes, have more resistance and endurance, etc. Just be sure, however, that your kid gets the proper motivation to lose weight: that he/she should lose extra pounds, not to be “normal” like other kids, not to get the approval and praise of other people, but to be fitter and healthier.

Of course, don’t force a weight loss plan on your kid. It’s better to do it subtly. This way he/she wouldn’t be pressured and stressed, which might even cause depression, one of the common reasons people binge eat and put on extra weight.

Start your kid’s diet at home. Cook less fatty foods, but make sure that your kid would still get a balanced amount of vitamins, minerals, carbs, and protein. Junk the junk foods from your pantry and fridge. If your kid loves junk foods, make him/her homemade ones—minus the fats and artificial ingredients, of course. Use real lean meat for burger patties, real sliced potatoes for chips, and low-sugar dough for cookies.

Encourage your child to take on more physical activities. Reduce the time he/she spends in front of the TV or computer. Take your family for regular walks every evening even just for 10-30 minutes. Or go on weekend camping or hiking outings every weekend. This way you don’t only get to bond as a family, you also make your whole family healthier.

Strike a deal with your kid. Make him/her do house chores in exchange for a little hike in allowance. You can also buy him/her a pet, which he/she can take regular walks with.