Exercise and Your Child – Teaching Your Child To Be More Physically Active » Obesity

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Exercise and Your Child – Teaching Your Child To Be More Physically Active

Friday, November 14th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

One of the major concerns in our culture is the rapidly rising weight of our nation’s children. For many, the problem has far surpassed the idea of being “cute and chubby” and has moved on to being morbidly obese. One only needs to look at the proliferation of fast food restaurants and other nutritionally empty foods that have become popular in recent years in order to realize their detriment to our children. With the busy lifestyles that parents lead, it is often easier to “stop and get something” rather than to come home and prepare a nutritionally well-balanced meal for the family.

Not only is food a problem that keeps our children overweight, but also our sedentary lifestyle is a major contributor to the childhood obesity epidemic. When we were children, we spent most of our time outside, playing kickball, hopscotch, and jumping rope. Today, children watch television, surf the Internet, and play video games. The rise in kidnappings is part of the reason that parents do not let their kids roam the neighborhoods the way they did as children. But, in keeping our children safe from predators by keeping them inside, we often put them in danger of health problems due to obesity. There is a way around this dilemma!

There are several things that parents can do to encourage their children to become more active. The best way to encourage children to exercise is to be an example. Even when your children are babies, they should see you exercising, making physical activity an important part of your life. As they grow up seeing you enjoying being active, they will learn that exercise and physical activity is fun and an important part of your life.

Make exercise fun for your family. Think of things you can do together that encourage your children to get up and start moving! Install a basketball hoop in your driveway, and spend time shooting hoops with your kids. If your kids enjoy riding bikes, get yourself on your bike and take a ride as a family. If your child enjoys martial arts, then enroll him or her and a karate class. The key is to find something that inspires your child and encourage them to pursue that activity.

Another way to get your child moving even if the weather outside is not conducive to outside activities is through exercise videos. Find an exercise video or DVD that is aimed at children, and do the routine with your children. Not only will your children be healthier, but you just might loose a few pounds as well! Again, keep it fun! Laugh at the mistakes that you make, and stay upbeat!

Keep in mind that all children are different. Your child may or may not be athletic. Do not try to make your child into the next Michael Jordan if they cannot make a basket to save their life. Becoming a successful athlete is not the important issue when teaching your child to exercise. The important thing you are teaching your children is the lifetime habit of making exercise an enjoyable, and important, part of their life. Make it fun, exciting, and vary the activities you do. You will be teaching your child how to become a happy, healthy adult!

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