Raising an Active Child
Raising an Active Child
Encouraging regular exercise
By Lokemun Magar
A healthy child keeps active and barely stays on his seat for more than ten minutes when left on his own. He will be up and about, exploring the world around him and asking about the minutest detail he espies of an interesting thing. However, his attention span is short, some lasting twenty minutes, others five only, so there must be a whole line of activities to keep him active, the more variety the merrier.
Once the habit of working and playing together as a family is formed from young, there will be a sense of security for the children and unity within the family, so make efforts to develop a repertoire of games and activities for the whole family which can bond everyone together.
- Active children are usually mentally alert. When my son feels sleepy in the morning, we will have a light game of Frisbee while waiting for the school bus. The ten to twenty minutes are sufficient to get him cheerful and excited about going to school.
- Household chores are activities that keep the whole family working actively together. Having everyone to select and work at his chore at the same time helps children feel a part of the family and learn to be responsible.
- Ball games such as basketball, softball and football are fun family games which can be modified for young children. It only takes a few changes of equipment and positions of the players to make everyone happy in an hour of play. If you only have one or two children, work out a schedule with immediate neighbors such that each parent will take a few days a week to play with all the children, freeing the other parents to have quality couple time.
How can you get children to exercise without thinking that they are exercising?
- The simplest tip is to develop a habit of walking when they are young. Walk the dog together, walk to the park or the shops nearby walk up and down stairs instead of using the lift or escalator.
- Enjoy showers and light rain - have everyone put on their boots and raincoats and make muddy patterns along the paths and driveways.
- During wintry snowfalls, arm everyone with a shovel to collect snow. Clear the driveway, and then have a snowman, igloo, or snow castle building competition among your neighbors.
- During stormy weather, play Hide-and-Seek in the house, even in a three-room flat. You can send the heartbeat of your children and even your own to one hundred with all the excitement!
- Volunteer your services or seek part-time jobs to distribute pamphlets or newspapers in your neighborhood. Share the revenue, if any, with your children by agreeing on an item to save for. They will be thrilled.
- If you have a water babe, swimming lessons, water polo, water ballet and diving are within ease of reach today.
- Land activities are aplenty, especially when your children’s good friends are equally excited about the same games or sports.
- It helps when on holidays involving extended family members to have older cousins involved in beginners’ classes on rare sports such as kayaking or rock climbing and the younger ones are pulled into the excitement.
What kinds of classes will encourage an active lifestyle for kids?
Note a word of caution here: never coerce a child to begin or go beyond his limit at sports because he is likely to end up fearing or hating sports rather than like them or even sustain injury.
What kinds of things can be incorporated into everyday life to increase the fitness level of kids?
- A healthy diet is an important one because no amount of exercising will help us shed the tons of fats we carelessly throw into our meals.
- Daily small doses of rigorous games and activities will keep the metabolic rate up and help your children, and yourself, burn off unwanted bulk, rather than a weekly activity.
- Most children like animals and nature. Incorporate weekly trips to the great outdoor nature parks in your vicinity!
- Be a good role model and keep yourself active and healthy. That is the easiest way to infect your children with personal health habits!
