As parents, we all have a responsibility to show our children the best example. Whether it is in how we behave, or in how we deal with the challenges of life, parents have a massive influence on their children – on both a conscious and sub-conscious level. One area in which this is of potentially life-saving importance is in health. Healthy parents tend to raise healthier children, and basic rules and examples you set now can actively prolong your child’s lifespan.
A central component to this is exercise, and kids should be introduced to physical activity from an early age. Those who start to exercise young can develop a passion for sport and activity, in addition to becoming healthier as they grow into adult life. So how can you inspire your child to become more active, and to be more energetic with a view to improving their general fitness?
Image source: http://gamerfitnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/kids_exercising.jpeg
Sports are one of the easiest avenues for encouraging kids into exercise. For the youngest of kids, it may be difficult to find facilities that offer any degree of specialized training. At this stage, general fitness work, games and exercises will be used to introduce younger players to the games they may eventually choose to play competitively. Aside from the game itself, sports are great hobbies for kids, and can provide an avenue for ongoing fitness into adult life. And if you find the right sport, most kids need very little encouragement to become hooked.
From an early age, parents should take their children on walks along the beach, or into the woods. These types of outdoor experiences are highly educational, and can inspire a passion for being in the open air. This all bodes well for the fitness of your child. Those kids that have a more outdoor disposition tend to be more energetic and fitter than those that devote their formative years exclusively to video games and TV.
Image source: http://blog.virtualworldfitness.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/childbench.jpg
Regardless of the age of your children, it rests with you to demonstrate how your child should live. There is no better way of educating a child than leading by example, and this means you need to personally practice what you preach. Entrenching exercise and physical activity as part of the family routine can help ensure children are constantly thinking about their fitness and their health. The Little Gym even makes it possible for younger kids to get involved. This is a good habit to establish early on, before a child begins to put on excess weight from an overly inactive lifestyle.
The exercise your children do today will have benefits that last a lifetime, no matter if they are 2 or 22 years old. Fitness is cumulative, and it is easier to stay fit than to get fit. Giving your child access to outlets for exercise and strenuous activity is healthy from a physical and emotional perspective. Participating in sport can teach vital life-lessons about discipline, achieving success and handling failure. These are all positive factors in becoming a healthy, happy adult, which is for any parent the obvious end goal.
No comments:
Post a Comment