Heidi Davoren. Dirty Laundry, Brisbane Times

Welcome to Dirty Laundry headquarters, home to Heidi Davoren and her discourse on all things familial. Rejoice in a parenting blog without the preconceptions and join her big, brazen cyberspace family every Tuesday for a fresh take on an old dynamic.

There are at least two issues common to every parent/child relationship. And over tea and scones us primary carers share our torment at the frustration these matters bring to our daily lives.

Getting kids to eat their greens – it’s a nightly form of torture for all involved.

Maybe science should research how it is that a child’s stomach rapidly expands upon devouring one flower of broccoli, causing great distress during every meal time and dragging out the dinner schedule long into the night.

Yet fairy floss can be consumed by the bucketload, followed up with a glass of lemonade and an icecream with no ill side effects whatsoever.

The second parental dilemma is an extension of the aforementioned – preventing children from living their every waking moment eating lollies and drinking soft drink.

We all know the pain of walking through the grocery store fighting the demands for sweets and chocolate.

With the Ekka having recently departed, our house has been awash with lolly wrappers and hidden treats. My two mischief-makers have done a stellar job of concealing the contents of their show bags in various locations.

So far I’ve found packets of ‘wizz fizz’ and ‘wacky bits’ in bookshelves, schoolbags, the undies drawer, and even under meat in the freezer (clearly this hiding spot was not well thought through – mothers and freezers are practically best friends).

The problems associated with bad eating habits are many as we know. Maintaining a healthy diet is essential for growing humans.

I’m also very conscious I have two girls who are more likely to feel the pressure of maintaining a slim figure, especially in their teenage years.

But the pressure to be slim is being felt by younger and younger children, including my own, who despite being within a healthy weight range have from time to time commented on their ‘fat stomachs’ or ‘big legs’.

Hearing those words from an eight-year-old strikes panic in a mother’s heart.

“No, sweetheart you are definitely NOT fat.” I can only hope my assurances are enough. How is it possible my own children might be weight-conscious at such a young age?

I exercise and so do they, but weight gain has never been a focus under my roof. I actually fear the opposite may be true, with the stress of the last 12 months causing my weight to plummet.

Do they think because I am thin, they should be too?

Conversely, for parents whose children are in fact obese, the question remains: how do you tell a child they have to lose weight without damaging their self-esteem?

Children’s author Paul Kramer has recently come under fire for his latest book, Maggie Goes on a Diet, with child health experts slamming his approach to the issue.

Child psychiatrist Dr Sloan Madden criticised the book for portraying the message that being overweight equates to being unpopular.

In general, experts assert losing weight should focus more on educating children about living a healthy lifestyle and making healthy choices.

"They should not be focusing on exercising to lose weight, but focusing on exercise for health and because it's enjoyable," said Dr Madden.

As more and more Australian families battle with obesity, the need to find a balanced approach to this issue is paramount. Our little people are relying on us.