When President Obama declared September Childhood Obesity Awareness Month last year, he stated that nearly one in every three children in America is overweight or obese.
How can we help children become healthier? By setting a great example for them: Join them for well-balanced meals and show them how much fun daily physical activity can be.
Be a Team Player
Ask your child what activity he or she would like to learn and then sign them up. Some children enjoy competitive team sports including T-ball, softball, football, tennis, basketball, hockey or even Frisbee. Other children are more comfortable with non-competitive activities such as dancing, ice or roller skating, swimming, gymnastics or even yoga for kids.
Take a Class
Kids enjoy exercise classes for the same reasons adults do: the camaraderie of friends and the fun of following an instructor. Exercise classes for kids are wonderful ways for children to be exposed to both fitness and dance at once in a happy, non-competitive environment.
Neighborhood Fun
Encourage your children to play outdoors with kids who live nearby. A basic game of tag requires no equipment. In warm weather, let your children and their friends run through your sprinklers.
Indoor Fun
On rainy or snowy days, or for less athletically-inclined children, get their — and your — circulation going while indoors. Try a game of Twister, hold indoor ping pong tournaments or play hide and seek.
Use Technology
If your child seems more excited about texting friends than moving his or her body, lure them into exercise with technology. Try the Wii, which can be played indoors while requiring the body to simulate the motions of tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing. Let your children invite their friends over for Wii’s “Just Dance Summer Party.
Respect Their Level
Some children are natural athletes while others enjoy more relaxed physical pursuits. Respect your child’s level and work within it, only gradually increasing the intensity. As with adults, all children progress at a different pace. If walking around the neighborhood or a park is what your child enjoys, begin there. Then slowly add other activities such as tossing a ball. Walking might lead to hiking a more challenging mountain trail.
Cheerlead
Whatever physical activity your child chooses, be sure to encourage them. If they enjoy what they’re doing, they’ll do more of it. Just like adults, right?
SAource: Active
In other news – Watch how Costa Titch fell on stage and died #RIPCostaTitch
Costa Tsobanoglou, better known as Costa Titch, was a rising star from Mbombela, another great loss to the South African music industry.
Costa Titch first gained fame in 2017 with his hit single “Nkalakatha.” The song was a remake of the 90s classic by the late South African Kwaito. Learn more