Getting Your Kids To Exercise
By: Daniel Green
These days it seems that everything negative about being a kid is on the rise, while the good things are disappearing. I remember waking up on Saturday mornings, eating a quick breakfast, and jumping on my bike and riding to the park with my two older brothers. There, we would always find enough other kids for a pick-up baseball game or a long day of street hockey in the parking lot of the nearby school. It didn't take a single phone call to know we'd be playing all day, and it certainly didn't take a computer to make our plans. Now I watch my teenage daughter wake up on Saturdays, never having any plans, and sitting around waiting for the phone to ring or her instant messenger box to pop up on the computer screen. I, like the majority of parents, struggle for ways to keep her active, motivated, and generally happy.
But what can we do?
It turns out there's plenty we can do. The most important thing is be a good role model. We've heard that advice a million times, but what does it mean? Put simply, let your kids see you having fun and enjoying an active lifestyle. Figure out what they enjoy, and find ways to incorporate that into your daily life. Does your 6-year-old love dinosaurs? Spend the day walking around museums. Sure, it's not the most intense workout, but it keeps the whole family up, active, and out of the house. Even better, plan a hike and pack a book or two about his favorite topics in your backpack. That way, when you stop for a rest you can read a book together and enjoy the quiet of the great outdoors. Make it fun, and make sure you take their interests into account when planning your weekend.
Most importantly, let your kids know (by showing them through your actions) that you value your health and that they should do the same. Active children are less likely to smoke or drink as teenagers, and are more likely to become active adults. Like you!
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Daniel Green is the Managing Editor for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and an ACE-certified Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant. He is also a Contributing Editor to both ACE
Fitness Matters and ACE Certified News. Visit the ACE Web site at
www.acefitness.org.
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