We should take an active interest in our children's development. Perhaps we have more of a focus on their academic progress, or we are trying our best to make them happy and well-rounded individuals. But now, living in an epidemic of obesity, we may find that we've made some mistakes, especially in terms of their fitness and health. Maybe we spent too many times giving them a tablet or put them in front of the television at a young age because we needed to do housework, and now this issue has compounded. But what can we do in order to make our children fit and healthy, and undo this damage?
Focusing On Traditional Sports
Depending on the age of the child, it might be too late to get them interested in sports. After all, it is not just about the physical aspect, it's about teamwork, sportsmanship, and learning coordination. Some children don't have the natural skills. But when your child is between the ages of 6 and 8, they are starting to sharpen the basics, like catching, throwing, and jumping. You can introduce them to a game like basketball almost seamlessly at this point. And there are many basketball drills for kids to encourage them to jump higher and run faster. Traditional sports will work well when they are refining their skills. But, it doesn’t to be the most obvious option. Think about sports that are on the alternative side. Even something like golf is good for coordination and physical prowess.
Making Exercise Fun
Kids are kids. And if we try to structure exercise, this could very well have the opposite reaction. Because when we look at sports, athletics, and keeping fit, it looks like an arduous activity that may not look particularly fun, especially for a child that has grown up sitting down. We have to remember that exercise can be fun. But we also have to remember that we have to build it up gradually. Exercise is difficult, especially when we're trying to make massive changes in our lives. The big key to ensuring that it's something that sticks is to start small. You can make physical activity part of the daily routine. And for young children, encouraging them to have fun will prove to be a better approach, primarily because when we have fun, we don't notice how difficult something is. Think about encouraging them to ride bikes around the neighborhood, or just games like playing tag. The goal is to start moving. And once we’ve started, this is when we can implement a structure.
Turning It Into A Lifestyle
The hardest part is that first step, and when we've got over this part, turning it into a lifestyle that benefits our children may seem easy but there are other challenges involved. It's about consistency. We have to remember that as our children get older, things will divert their attention. When we try to make our children exercise, we may tell them “it's good for them,” and, of course, they won't do it. And this means that while we find alternative ways to encourage them to run around, making it a lifestyle that sticks is partly to do with the things we put in place, but also, the example that we set. It's easy for us to tell our children what to do, but if we don't do it ourselves, why should they listen to us? We have to make it a lifestyle choice. This means looking at what we do and making some significant switches. Something like walking rather than driving everywhere can be an easy swap. And it's important to note that even if your child has a chronic health condition, or they get diagnosed with something like asthma later on in childhood, the temptation would be to wrap them in cotton wool and protect them. In fact, this is when we should encourage more activity, especially with things like swimming. Part of our attitude to illness is that we try to avoid arduous activity, and rest up. With something like asthma, which many children are diagnosed with, it's possible to keep our children healthy, and encourage them to exercise. Part of it is about setting the example, as well as implementing certain touchstones of a healthy lifestyle.
Getting our children fit and healthy is about the example we set, but it's also about giving them the tools to live a healthier life. The path we set them on now will impact the rest of their days. And it's easy to forget this. So if you want your children to be healthier, take the first step.
