Andrea Metcalf: 5 Things You Should Do Every Morning
How Exercise Can Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer's Death
A family that plays together, stays fit together
Posted on Jan 4th 2007 12:00PM by Bethany SandersFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Exercise can be a four letter word to small children. Often it means that mommy or daddy are taking time for themselves, something small children don't always appreciate. While it's important that parents have a consistent exercise routine, there are ways to work activity into your day and involve your kids at the same time. After all, as your child's most important role model, don't you want to instill the love of physical activity?
Though your child is unlikely to love dancing to aerobics in front of the TV and probably isn't welcome at the gym, being active as a family just takes a little creativity. Have you ever spent a half hour playing tag with a four-year-old? I have no scientific data, but I bet it rivals a walk on the treadmill. Hide-and-seek, kickball, bike rides or nature hikes are all activities that many children love. While we sometimes look at exercise as a chore, children love to be active. More importantly, they love to spend time with you.
So the next time you're focusing on your fitness, take a look at your child. Have they been outside today? Have they had 60 minutes or more of exercise? Take some time to foster in them what you encourage yourself to do every day, knowing that the ideas you instill today are likely to become good habits in adulthood.
Though your child is unlikely to love dancing to aerobics in front of the TV and probably isn't welcome at the gym, being active as a family just takes a little creativity. Have you ever spent a half hour playing tag with a four-year-old? I have no scientific data, but I bet it rivals a walk on the treadmill. Hide-and-seek, kickball, bike rides or nature hikes are all activities that many children love. While we sometimes look at exercise as a chore, children love to be active. More importantly, they love to spend time with you.
So the next time you're focusing on your fitness, take a look at your child. Have they been outside today? Have they had 60 minutes or more of exercise? Take some time to foster in them what you encourage yourself to do every day, knowing that the ideas you instill today are likely to become good habits in adulthood.
