Exercising regularly helps fulfil one of your most important responsibilities as a parent – the duty to be well and present for your children. Being physically fit significantly reduces your risk of almost every health problem and it gives you the energy and vitality to parent effectively.
Your exercise is also an investment in your childrens’ future health. It’s no surprise that studies show a significant association between parents who exercise and children who exercise in later life. Start the habit early! Active children sleep better and learn better. Strong muscles and bones give them the confidence to participate in sport. Sport is really important for today’s children because they don’t have the same opportunities for incidental exercise that we enjoyed. Children no longer roam the neighborhood on bikes for hours on end. We live in a more careful, structured manner where exercise is more often of the scheduled variety. Unfortunately, driving your children to their organized sport is not the end of your responsibility as a parent. Children need to see you modelling activity for activity’s sake in everyday life. If children see Mum and Dad taking the active option where possible and getting up early to attend the gym or go for a walk it normalizes activity as part of life. In our culture there is a huge emphasis on performing competitively at peak levels instead of exercising for enjoyment and wellbeing. Many adolescents give up sports when they do not excel, and take up far less desirable hobbies instead. You can help your teenager grow up with the expectation of participating in exercise and taking pride in their health. Just show them how it’s done.
If your children are still young enough to want to play with you then enjoy the opportunity to build healthy habits and happy memories. There are lots of ways to build incidental activity into family life. Walk the dog together, or just walk together instead of taking the car. Consider walking to school once a week or once a fortnight. Get involved with active play at the playground and encourage your children to practice their sports skills with you. If you have the time and expertise, coach your child’s sport team. If you have the time but no expertise then see if the coach would like some help with drills. Be known as a family who gives things a go – take part in community activities such as kids triathlons and fun runs.
Focusing on health and wellbeing for the family pays dividends for everyone both today and into the future
Your exercise is also an investment in your childrens’ future health. It’s no surprise that studies show a significant association between parents who exercise and children who exercise in later life. Start the habit early! Active children sleep better and learn better. Strong muscles and bones give them the confidence to participate in sport. Sport is really important for today’s children because they don’t have the same opportunities for incidental exercise that we enjoyed. Children no longer roam the neighborhood on bikes for hours on end. We live in a more careful, structured manner where exercise is more often of the scheduled variety. Unfortunately, driving your children to their organized sport is not the end of your responsibility as a parent. Children need to see you modelling activity for activity’s sake in everyday life. If children see Mum and Dad taking the active option where possible and getting up early to attend the gym or go for a walk it normalizes activity as part of life. In our culture there is a huge emphasis on performing competitively at peak levels instead of exercising for enjoyment and wellbeing. Many adolescents give up sports when they do not excel, and take up far less desirable hobbies instead. You can help your teenager grow up with the expectation of participating in exercise and taking pride in their health. Just show them how it’s done.
If your children are still young enough to want to play with you then enjoy the opportunity to build healthy habits and happy memories. There are lots of ways to build incidental activity into family life. Walk the dog together, or just walk together instead of taking the car. Consider walking to school once a week or once a fortnight. Get involved with active play at the playground and encourage your children to practice their sports skills with you. If you have the time and expertise, coach your child’s sport team. If you have the time but no expertise then see if the coach would like some help with drills. Be known as a family who gives things a go – take part in community activities such as kids triathlons and fun runs.
Focusing on health and wellbeing for the family pays dividends for everyone both today and into the future
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