From the category archives:
Children's Fitness
Every living American knows our country has a reputation for obese citizens, and in fact, if you ever do some traveling, you might know our country is ridiculed quite a bit for this characteristic. While no one likes to hear about people being ridiculed about their weight, it presents an alarming trend in this country that has gone way out of control, and it is particularly alarming when we see it spilling over to affect our child populations.
It’s time to get your kid’s active, and one great idea parents are finding is they can do it by installing play sets somewhere in the yard around their house. This is a way to get your kids moving and keep them moving without a whole lot of nagging on your part. It is an addition that will attract them, engage them and hold their attention.
While some parents might balk at the idea, assuming that such home additions are only for the wealthiest of families, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Not only are their very cheap models available on the market that are still safe but having this kind of built in home-entertainment centered around physical activity can offer a good solution on the days when the budget allows for nothing else.
The biggest concern when you start shopping is the safety of the different playsets on the market. Be sure to ask the salesman about the material and safety features. Always check the specifications for age and weight. Take the chance to thoroughly inspect the model that is set up in the store to get an idea of what you can expect.
Is it well-constructed and sturdy? Are the brackets designed so that they will not pinch or poke fingers? What kind of material is used, and what precautions are used to prevent the risks associated with those materials?
For instance, plastic can weaken over time if exposed to UV rays, wood, while very sturdy, can splinter, and metal corrodes and weakens as well. What have manufacturers done to prevent these things? What are the safety ratings, and what kind of organizations have stamped this model with their approval?
The versatility of playsets available on the market these days is quite astounding to the modern parent who remembers something much more simple. Usually, this will depend on your budget, but you can get models with everything included, such as monkey bars, swingsets, climbing ropes, sliding boards, and even a separate trampoline. If the dealer does not have a package with everything included, find out if you can get deals for purchasing separate pieces together.
Put some real thought into the playsets available before you spend your hard earned money, because the right model can keep your kids engaged and excited for years to come, and what that means is healthy, active children. As they get older and grow bored, think of other ways to keep them active, like installing a basketball hoop or a big enclosed trampoline. An in-home playground can always be added to, and it is nothing less than the start to a healthy life.
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The best running shoes for your kids are also the best running shoes for your wallet. Not very often do we get to say that and really mean it! Recent scientific studies tell us this is so and who am I to argue with science?
Turns out the more we make our feet work every day, the stronger they become. What does that have to do with your wallet? It means that when you choose to buy less expensive running shoes for your kids, as well as yourself, you are choosing shoes which tend to have less stabilizers, inserts, and great arch supports.
By having little or no support mechanisms in your running shoes mean more work for your feet. The twenty-six bones and dozens of tendons and muscles in our feet will only develop properly if allowed to work. An adolescent’s arches are still under development. Propping your kids’ feet up in more expensive running shoes, that often don’t have these attributes, may lead to muscle atrophy and fallen arches, according to Dr. Gerard Hartman, Ph.D.
The benefits of naturally strong feet are many and they last a lifetime.
- Strong arches make it possible to compete pain-free in sports that require a lot of running or jumping such as basketball, volleyball,football and soccer.
- Strong feet support good posture lowering the risk of back injury and chronic back pain.
- Strong feet provide a solid connection to the ground which can mean fewer accidents, twisted ankles and even broken hips in later years.
Inspire family members by choosing less expensive running shoes for yourself and get your own feet working.
- Go for walks or hikes together as a family.
- If you have a back yard, spend time with your kids playing barefoot Frisbee, badminton, or tag.
- Agree to a “no-shoes-on-in-the-house” pact.
So what if the kids bring their mp3 players on your hike? Go ahead and let them text their friends too. What do you care? If it gets you all moving – one foot in front of the other – it’s all good. So remember, the best running shoes for your kids don’t always have to be the most expensive.
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Fitness for Children – Physical activity is an important part of your child’s life; it has a tremendous impact on physical, intellectual and emotional development. As adults, we have a responsibility to be role models for our children, sharing with them the pleasures and benefits of a physically active lifestyle. Developing a love of sports and a habit of regular physical activity as a child can be the foundation for a long, healthy life.
With child obesity reaching epidemic levels there has been no more important time than now to focus on child and adolescent fitness. These problems are exacerbated by the more sedentary lifestyles we live with children being content to sit in front of computers all day, instead of joining sports teams, and other physically demanding activities.
Good nutrition also is important for your child. As with physical activity, you are a role model. When you choose and prepare healthful foods, your child also will be more likely to follow your example. The first step toward helping your child eat a healthier diet is making a variety of nutritious foods readily available at home. That way your child can choose what he or she likes.
Make family meals a priority beginning with breakfast. Breakfast is important because it provides a major part of a child’s daily energy supply. Children who eat breakfast are better nourished and are more likely to meet their daily need for certain essential vitamins and minerals than breakfast skippers. Parents should keep an assortment of convenient, nutritious breakfast choices available and within easy reach of their children. The best choices are high-carbohydrate, low-fat foods like cereal or cereal bars, low-fat milk and fruit.
Getting involved in your child’s diet and fitness routine will show your support and help foster a great relationship, not to mention to lay a foundation for being fitness minded for many generations to come.
What Parents Can Do
Here are some other activity tips you can follow:
- Monitor TV watching, computer games, and computer time other than homework. Set a limit — an hour a day — on TV watching.
- Make sure kids have time to be outside.
- Plan outdoor activities as a family.
- Enroll kids in after-school gymnastics, soccer, or swimming programs.
- Join a gym with a child activity program. More and more health clubs are doing this.
- Walk around the neighborhood with the kids after dinner.
- Make yard work a game that the kids participate in.
- Make healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables available in the home.
- Find alternatives to fast food.
- Starting in the toddler years, limit the child’s juice intake.
Provide easy-to-eat snack alternatives. Have cut-up celery and carrots on hand. Don’t totally deprive kids of less-healthy snacks. Kids who feel deprived are more likely to gorge on these foods when they can get their hands on them. Moderation is the key.
Remember where your kids learn about a healthy lifestyle.