- Do provide young children with healthy food options that they can choose to eat or not.  Don't give them an alternative if they refuse what you've given them. 
- Do ask children to try new food many times because they often need at least seven exposures before they develop a liking for it.  Don't battle or force them into trying it.
- Do model healthy behavior and make changes as a family.  Don't single out an overweight child by giving them different foods.
- Do increase activity and decrease "screen time," i.e. television, computers, video games..etc.  Don't put a television in kids' rooms or refuse to participate when your kid wants to engage in active play. 
- Do remain firm and say "this is how we're eating now as a family" if changes are questioned.  Don't blame the child or remark that you are making changes because of the child's weight.
 

Those are some good tips to follow. I think it's important for parents to provide their children with healthy snacks because think of how much damage they are doing to their body if all they do during the summer is snack on chips or other greasy food and watch tv. Children used to be so much more active than they are these days. I remember when I was little I would play outside all day until my mom called me in for dinner. When I look outside my window I only see like one kid playing.

Lol I was like that too, I would always be roller blading, going to the park, everything.. even at school I would play sports at recess.  The more weight you put on when you're young, the more likely you are to be overweight when you become a teenager and adult.  Every kid goes through a chunky stage, mine was in sixth grade and it was when I wasn't doing any sports,  but I changed my eating habits to make up for it.  So now I realize how important it is to teach your kids healthy eating habits when they're little so they have extra room to grow and not worry about putting on too much weight. 

It's really important to give your kids fruits and vegetables when they're young for two reasons.  First, they get all of the vitamins they need for strong bones, and to balance out their system.  And they can develop a liking for it, how you said earlier.  Most kids hate vegetables but if you get them used to it early, they won't be scared of it.  Also they're coming out with a ton of books of how to make fun food like mac and cheese but put it like brocolli and other vegetables so your kids don't even know they're actually eating healthy.