I think a competence class would be great. My mother is a nurse and often sees babies go home with parents that have no idea what they’re doing.
(No, not in a “this is our first baby!” wide eyed “uh oh! diaper changing?!!” way. )

And uh… well. Gym. I have a lot of overweight friends and some love gym. Personally, I hate it.
Not because it’s “haaaard” or because I want to go sit and watch tv with cornchips, or whatever.
It’s because sometimes, the way it is done is humiliating. It’s not all sports and fun little games.
They use running as a punishment. When you’re the hefty kid in the back, it really takes a toll. I actually developed some anxiety issues from being so… exploited? … and I’m not even that big! How about bulimia for a way to fix your gym failure? Sound good? Abbbsolutely not.
Gym teachers (well, most) have no idea what they’re doing half the time. One way to embarass a child into therapy? A bad, loud, unsupportive gym teacher.

Uggggggggh.
Anyway. Mandatory parenting classes for parents of overweight children?
Absolutely not. If the child/parent is worried, they can get help from school nurses/doctors.
Being forced into a class would be absurd.
Maybe they could have a class suggested, but certainly not made mandatory.

Well, parenting classes really dont help….my advise would be to supervise your child everywhere…and tell him when to put down the fork…and if he complains a lot bring in some dicipline in a loving way.

I think they should have to take mandatory parenting classes period. Its not just overweight kids that have problems. Children have numerous problems, many of which lead back to a parents lack of authority, nurturing, or various forms of stability (physical, locational, finical, emotional, support, etc.).

I think parents should have to take parenting classes once a month from the time they find out they are pregnant to the time their child turns 18 or graduates high school…which ever comes last.

Parents have THE most important jobs in this world. We require the highest forms of education and qualification from people in thousands of professions, but we require nothing from the people who have the biggest impact on our future.

In UK, parents with a seriously overweight child face having the child taken away by welfare workers and put into care (children’s home then foster parents)

The whole family, not just the parents. I just recently went to visit some family in the US. I thought you guys were over-exaggerating your obesity problem, but half the people are obese.

Of course PE should be mandatory. PE is the best class. Automatic 95% for me, I get a whole class to play sports. Whats better than that?

They need to learn to eat better. Those idiots just force themselves to eat more, even when they dont need it and they’re not hungry anymore. Then they go on and whine about how it sucks to be fat, then munch down a whole chicken for a snack. If your sad about your weight problem, go exercise, play sports, and work out.

Granted, some people have it pre-disposed in their genetics, and no matter how hard they work at it, it takes much much longer for them to lose weight.
But the majority of fat people are lazy.

I think that people should have to take a competence test before having children - it’ll never happen, but it’d make things that much nicer. It devastates me when I see children who have been badly brought up. I saw a family in the cinema the other day - all very overweight, including the approx 7 year old child. I wouldn’t have thought anything of it - as another user said, it could be genetic. Except for the fact it was nearly 8 o clock at night (not a meal time!) and the little girl had a cardboard tray with nachos, popcorn and pop in it, munching away before she’d even sat down in the cinema. I know it’s judgemental of me, but I thought that was tragic. It wasn’t her fault. I’m not saying that’s a child who has been ‘badly brought up’, but it’s certainly unhealthy practice by the parents.

Yes, I think that they should.

Yes, I do. So many adults and children are overweight on this country, and it is sad. I think it is so much worse when I see a child that is overweight. Laziness is an epidemic, and it is a learned behavior. If the parents aren’t taking care of their child properly and teaching them how to live a healthy lifestyle, they should have to take a class to learn how.

What about a thin mom…and why do you say “mom”?? Like the mom is at fault? because that’s how you made it sound. If you’re going to judge people….maybe you should get some facts as to why they are over weight…could be a health problem other than eating a lot and not exercising. What about a fat dad and a skinny child…should the child seek some counseling for having an overweight parent so that child doesn’t turn out like that parent?
I’m not going to agree with the parenting class….being mandatory, maybe a nutrition class for the family would be ok. You opened a can of worms with that question.

i think all potential parents should have to take a mandatory parenting class. having nothing to do with whether their children are overweight.