Keeping children healthy as they grow is important. Unfortunately, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found that more than a third of all children are overweight or obese. That’s a genuine problem for them, since being overweight in their formative years makes it far more likely they’ll be overweight their entire life… and experience a significantly higher number of health problems as an adult.
The solution to this dilemma is getting them off the couch and onto their feet. Here are some good ways of accomplishing this:
Enroll them in clubs.
Children who are in some kind of club or group activity tend to be significantly more active than those who aren’t. It doesn’t really matter what kind of activity it is as long as it’s something they enjoy – it could be swimming, sports, hiking, biking or anything else that gets them out of the house and moving around.
If you’re not sure what kind of club they’d enjoy, ask them to pick two or three things they’d like to do and see if any of those will interest them. The real goal is to help the child understand that outdoor activities are enjoyable. Once that message is in their head, they’re far more likely to stick with it and in turn, this will help them be healthy throughout their lives.
Limit their online access.
Today’s kids tend to be online a lot, in fact, many teenagers may be spending nine hours a day online, and the only thing they might do more than screen time is sleeping. Spending that much time online simply isn’t healthy for them, especially because they tend to do little more than sit on the couch while they’re playing with their electronic devices.
Impose a house rule – ideally while your kids are still young – and limit the amount of time they can spend on any device (including their smartphone) each day. If they’re fighting the concept of not spending all of their free time in the digital realm, you can redirect them to activities that get them moving and improve their health.
Make it a family activity.
Children often imitate their parents, and if they see you sitting on the couch whenever they’re around, that’s the behavior they’ll start to emulate. On the other hand, if you exercise with them and make it clear that being fit is a part of what your family does, they’re not going to duck out of it as easily – especially if you don’t let them get away with excuses.
Don’t do the same thing forever.
The interests of children change as they grow older, and not every child will want to play one sport or do one activity through the entirety of their formative years. Try to keep a selection of new activities on hand, and encourage your child to regularly go out and experience new things. This will help them stay involved with something they’re currently enjoying – and keep them active when they might otherwise revert to a more passive lifestyle.
Staying healthy and being more active is a family affair. It’s just as important for children as it is for adolescents, adults and even our grandparents can join in on the fun. We’ll all live much longer, happier and healthier lives as a result.
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Mark Kirkpatrick is a blogger and tech enthusiast in Santa Clara, California. He has found that productivity starts with healthy habits and hopes to help others achieve their goals through positive reinforcement. Mark can be found on Twitter and Facebook.
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