How to Get Your Kids to Exercise?
As parents, have you ever dreamt about letting the children run freely along our streets like we did when we were kids?
When I was a kid, I remember we had a field and woods in our backyard where we spent all our day exploring it. It was a great exercise for us, but we saw it only as a play.
But, what I experienced when raising my kids is that I would hear the car door slam, then within a minute, I would hear the backpacks dropped on the floor. And before I could ask them or scold them, the TV was switched on, and there were few minutes to become dark when they sat to play video games and ate processed food.
I think most moms face the same problem as I did when it comes to telling the kids to exercise. It was a bit challenging for me to compete with all the marketing strategies for video games and shows and their desire for instant gratification.
I found that the carrot sticks and exercise were in last place when they had to compete with Xboxes, SpongeBob, and potato chips.
I became worried about my kids because they sit inside their rooms and play video games most of the time. So I did some research and was surprised when I found that the American Heart Association recommended that children and adolescents should do physical activities at least 60 minutes a day.
I became more concerned when I researched and learned that the percentage of young people who are overweight has tripled since 1980. Though my kids are not obese, I don’t want them to be one in the future.
Here are some of the ideas that I have come up with to get the kids to exercise and have fun simultaneously.
Become a Role Model
Kids always admire us and try to behave and do whatever we do. So, to make your child do the exercise, you must stay active and fit. And if you don’t do the exercise and eat healthy food, then even your kids won’t exercise and eat healthy. So, you need to set a good example for them, especially when they are in their growing age.
Make Exercise Fun
Whatever activity you do with your kids, try to make it fun. I remember in my free time, I used to put on the music and dance with my kids. Also, sometimes we used to play tag or rollerblade.
I also made sure that my kids had toys that encouraged them to be active and also have fun at the same time. I found that my kids loved the toys I bought for them; one of their favorites was pogo sticks. I also observed that my kids loved playing with scooters, bikes, and baseball bats which kept them moving around and having a wonderful time. What more can a mother ask for?
Do it together
Are you are like me, who is constantly busy doing household chores and doesn’t get enough time for kids? Well, one way to spend some quality time with your kids is to do all the activities together and encourage them to be active. I had also started to exercise and play with them. I also joined my kids in exploring the neighborhood as they could not roam alone.
Also, we as parents need to limit our kid’s time for watching TV or playing video games. These are the things due to which the children are less active. Therefore, I allow them to watch TV only for a limited time, that is after they are done with their homework and after spending some time playing in the basement.
Encourage them
I found that encouraging and supporting children helped me to have a positive impact on their life. I also made sure that I found some sports and other activities that could help them build their self-esteem. We also ensured that we attended their sports events to cheer them up when they won and even lost.
Help in Household Chores
Ask your children to help you with household chores like putting things in place, cleaning the house or car, etc. You can also ask them to help you in outdoor activities like pulling weeds, watering plants, cleaning the garage, etc. Don’t forget to put on the music to make these activities fun. You can also join them so that you’ll work as a family.
Reduce Transportation
Ask your kids to limit the transportation for small distances. For example, you can ask your kid to take a bicycle to visit his friend’s house or come home walking if the school is near. You can also ask your child to take a skateboard or roller skate to the garden.
Social Activity
Kids like to be physically active when they are with their friends or with the children of their age group. So, you can call his friends and conduct various physical games for them, which can be fun and encourage physical activity.
To keep them motivated to come to your house the next time, you can give them small useful gifts that are helpful for them in their day-to-day life. Or else you can also make delicious snacks & juices for them.
What are the benefits of being active?
Being physically active has various positive impacts on our physical and mental health. Therefore kids in their growing age must be more active for proper development. Some benefits of exercising daily are:
- Develop strong muscles and bones
- Have a healthy weight
- Reduced risk of developing types 2 diabetes
- Have a good sound sleep
- Have a better approach towards life
Also, the physically active kids are more motivated, confident, focused, and successful in their school.
Conclusion
Exercising not only helps the kids to stay fit and healthy and fight off diseases but also provides various other benefits. Some research suggests that the physically active kids do better in school than those kids who are less active. Therefore choose the physical activities that your children will enjoy doing.
