Sometimes kids eat for the wrong reasons — to occupy them when they're bored, to take their minds off troubles at home, or to forget hurt feelings. When food becomes a form of self-medication, it has the potential to be just as destructive as drugs or alcohol. Your overweight child also faces difficult emotional obstacles from the outside. Teasing from peers and even adults may make her depressed and/or stressed, and that can be a hindrance to her fitness efforts. As a parent, you need to be aware of the warning signs that her weight is affecting her emotional health so that she can develop the coping skills she needs to be mentally as well as physically fit.