Good habits and health begins as you are a child. Unfortunately, more and more children are becoming very obese and they then grow up into obese adults with a wide variety of health problems. If the wrong eating habits are started young, it will be even more so difficult to change them as you get older. Children, however, are not responsible for their actions since it is up to the parents to teach them correctly from the start. One of the best ways to maintain a normal, healthy weight is to get exercise and for that reason it is important for children that you them moving. Not only are the physical and psychological benefits tremendous, but it is also fun and maybe even you as a parent will reap the benefits of playing with a child.
Why is it so important for children to get enough exercise?
Everyone hears that exercising on a regular basis is the best and most reliable way to get in shape and lose weight. Dieting alone does not help and for that reason it is important that every parent get their children into physical activities from a young age. Not only is movement important right from the beginning, such as crawling and the first walking tries, but it is also something very natural. Children have an inner desire to move around and this should not be scolded, but instead praised and supported. In this way the good, healthy behavior will be programmed in and it will be easier through all the growing up years to help them keep up this pattern.
There are obvious benefits of getting children to move, such as being tired evenings and sleeping through the night or eating better because they have more of an appetite. However, there are also hidden benefits that are not immediately seen and which in part only are noticed at an old age. For example, getting children to move improves the cardiovascular or heart system, improves balance and concentration, keeps extra weight off and is great for a perfect posture. If all children maintained these principles young, there would not be so many obese adults nowadays. Other benefits may show up both long and short term and when children move around they improve their socialization skills. Exercise also lowers blood cholesterol (which is a major problem for obese adults) and is also good psychologically. Going out and getting some exercise relieves stress and is a way to fight depression. Since children usually play in groups, their self-esteem will be built-up and the children will become noticeably more confident and show more advance social and weight skills.
How can you keep children occupied at all times of the year?
Only the most extreme of weather should deter children from moving around. There are activities that can be played both indoors and outdoors and with a little imagination and creativity the day can be filled with movement and exercise. That goes for each and every day, although it is also not good to go to extremes and a day off now and then to rest does the child good also. Things in life are not always so smooth though, and there are children who do not like moving around, exercising or going out. Today with an increasing number of children opting to play video games and watch TV it is even more difficult to get the children moving. The best solution for this is to play with your child and even have them decide on the games to play. The type of activity should then be dependent on the child and their condition, interests, skill level and the weather. If your child is overweight and cannot do too much, then start with simple games like kickball or dodge ball. Gradually build up to more strenuous games like soccer or basket ball. You should also keep in mind that a game is not fun if you are not capable of playing it. There are activities designed for all age groups, from toddlers to teens, and it will be best if your chosen game is suitable according to the age group the child falls in. To some things up, in order to get your child to move, the game has to be appropriate and you have to be setting the best example possible.
Children, get them moving with any method possible. Let them bring you to a playground or go outside and fly a kite, jog or even play ball games with you. Show them how to and explain the rules, if necessary train them with the equipment first. Movement can also subtly be added to the day by walking more, doing household chores or gardening tasks. A walk around the neighborhood is also a great and simple way of getting in some exercise. Indoor games are also movement and a lot of fun at the same time. There are activities like ping pong or jump roping which keep a child going and yet still work on their health.
The season is also no reason to stay home. In fact, children actually need to be exposed to the different seasons and get used to the weather. Not even the wintertime is an excuse, because even though it is cold, the child can get dressed warmly. Teaching your children to dress appropriately will also be of later use, since they will need to know this at a later date anyhow. Many fun and strenuous activities also require certain weather conditions in order to be played in the first place. A great example of this would be snow in the wintertime. When there is enough snow, then you can take the children skiing, sledding or have a snowball fight.
No matter what your child does wrong, he or she does look up to you and will try to copy your actions. Whether or not that is wrong, you have do your best and set a healthy example for your children to follow which will help them in many ways when they are older.
Feel Free To Leave Comments To My Posts,Its Always Nice To Get Feed Back!:)
No comments:
Post a Comment