5 Easy Ways to Get your Kids to ExerciseWriten by Larry Smith
The easiest way to get your kids out the door is to turn off any device that plugs into your kids brain. Therefore, the number 1 way to get our kids to exercise is:
1. Turn off the TV, the computer and the X- Box.
Over the past two decades, the percentage of overweight children has doubled and sedentary behaviors such as watching television and playing video games have become a part of everyday life. (Family Community Health 2002; 25:10.) To make matters worse, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that a significant portion of childrens daily caloric intake is consumed while watching television. I can guarantee you that the majority of calories consumed during unsupervised television viewing come from pure junk food.
2. Set a Good Example:
Instead of sending your kids outside to play go with them! Set a good example. Initiate family bike rides or walks in the park as often as schedules will allow. The best opportunity to get your family to exercise is right after dinner! Try it and you will all have fun!
3. Little Kids Need Exercise Too:
According to the National Association for sport and physical activity, simple but targeted activities are recommended for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Each day, toddlers should have at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity and pre-schoolers should have at least an hour. Examples for toddlers include follow-along songs or chasing a ball; and for older children, balancing games or tumbling. (Child Health Alert2002:2) Exercise should be a routine part of daily life and parents should join in, not just sit on the sidelines and watch their children romp.
4. Get Your Kids Involved in Sports:
One of the best things my dad ever did for me was to sign me up for football. It is amazing to me that by the age of 10, I had already decided that I was too small and not good enough to play football. Dad thought otherwise and he was right. I just loved to play that game and I played until I was 18 years old. Being involved in sports is a great way for your children to get in shape, build confidence, make new friends and have fun. I recently had the privilege of getting a gleeful phone call from my girlfriends 11 year old son, Taylor. He was so excited and happy to hear that he had been chosen to be on our districts rep soccer team. Becoming involved in your kids activities has just as many benefits for the parents! The key is to encourage but not force your childs participation in sports. Try exposing them to a number of different sports and activities and then allow them to choose the one that interests them the most.
5. Girls Should Play as Much as Boys:
By the age of six, girls already exercise less than boys. There is absolutely no physiological reason for this to happen according to Neil Armstrong of the Childrens Health and Exercise Research Center at the University of Exeter, Great Britain. He feels parents should encourage girls to enjoy the same level of physical activity and sports as the boys. If we are truly living in an age of equality and equal opportunity, lets start with the children. It is important not to distinguish between girl games and boy games especially when it comes to exercise. Girls should be allowed and encouraged to learn how to throw a baseball, play hockey and perform traditional male household duties such as washing the car and cleaning out the garage.
6. The Family that Plays Together Stays Together:
Many of my most cherished moments in life have been physical activities involving the whole family. I am not talking about the big competitive sports match either. My mom, dad, sister and I still laugh hysterically when we talk about the Smith family dart game at Uncle Dicks cabana. I feel that many strong and enduring emotional bonds come through the joy of playing together as a family. I have had many great teachers throughout my life including those much older and much younger than me. When I was in elementary school I was in tears one night because I could not do a simple forward somersault that they taught us in school. Let me tell you that my dad changed my world of crying and tears into laughter and joy by teaching me how to do a somersault in five minutes. Another special moment for me was watching Taylor sink his first ball in the basketball hoop at age eight. He must have taken a hundred shots before he finally got it in the hoop.
I sincerely believe that the family that plays together stays together!
Dr. Larry Smith Chiropractor and co-author of
Inside the Minds: The Art and Science of Sports Medicine
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