Exercise and children
We know we can't force kids to exercise but you can lead by example. If they see you lounging on the sofa every night, eating chips and watching television for hours, then, inevitably, they copy that behaviour. Kids of active parents/guardians are far more likely to be active themselves-if not now, at least m the future. You may even persuade them to come exercising with you-stranger things have happened!
Get the kids moving, too
- Restrict periods of extended inactivity such as watching television or videos or playing computer games.
- Invent projects to create at home (like a go-cart or a bird feeder).
- Don't encourage sedentary behaviour over activity (You may have to delete 'sit down and be quiet' from your vocabulary)
- Make sure the kids aren't watching you watching television.
- Let them see you being active.
- Don't chauffeur them, let them use public transport.
- Don't confine them to the four walls of home or school.
- Don't restrict spontaneous decisions to be active.
- Put the ride-on toys and trampoline where they catch attention.
- Prepare food with their help. They could help you with a special dish.
Practical ways to reduce television watching
- Make a rule and enforce it: no more than 12 hours per week.
- Schedule the programs you will watch for the week.
- Rearrange the furniture so there is more room for movement.
- Do stretches and floor exercises while you watch.
- Put the television in a naturally light room to discourage daytime viewing.
- Turn on the stereo instead.
- Play now—do homework later. (The kids love this!)
- During the commercial breaks, try to get a small chore done.
- Anything is better than nothing.
- Combine television watching with the ironing (notjust mumsjob, either).