Why is it that being fit has become a chore for the vast majority of the nation? Why do we see citizens, lined up upon rows and rows of treadmills, trying to keep the pounds off? Why is obesity such an epidemic?
I don't have the answers to these questions. But, as you know, I am full of opinions. And when facts and solutions are in short supply, opinions surely fill the vacuum.
All in all, we've learned to do those things that our ancestors strived for. Protect yourself from the elements. Collect mass quantities of cheap food. Reduce the amount of physical labour required for a given task.
We are AWESOME at those things. I can use just my fingers to earn money and have that money buy the groceries and have it delivered to my door step, with some substitutions, ready to eat.
So what does this have to do with kids? Well, for the most part kids want to be like their parents. Except for when they want to be a Pokemon. Or later, an Emo Kid. Or in their 20's, nothing like their parents at all.
What follows is my purely random list of things to do and think that can make your kids life better.
Don't Avoid Risk
The best way to ensure your kidlet becomes fat is to ensure they are never allowed to do anything that may involve them falling or bonking into something. Ensure that they lie down at all times and stay still. Also, wrap all objects, sharp or not, in bubble wrap.
I really don't care what your lawyer says. If you don't let your kid run around to play tag, and wrestle, you might as well lock them in a closet. You need to teach them about risk, be there when they fall, and help them react appropriately.
The teachers at the school don't let the kids onto the grass prior to school starting. There are loads of parents standing there, watching their kids mill about, trying to have fun, waiting for school.
Protection from the Elements
I don't understand parents who don't make their kids wear a hat in the sun, but tell them to come inside when it's raining. It's not like kids don't love jumping in puddles.
Wear a rain jacket. Wear warmer clothes. Let your kids outside in the back yard just like you do when it's nice out. The extra space will give you a break from the screaming, and let them apply force to the ground and change their velocity in exciting ways.
Walk
Attention Walmart Shoppers. Please, everyone, drive as fast as you can through the parking lot to get the spot closest to the door. Ensure that you almost hit as many people as possible. Oh wait, there are no spots there. Drive around in circles some more!
Attention Parents. If you live more than 300 meters from the school, please drive. Using a crosswalk may cause anxiety in your child.
Have you ever actually tried walking to your kids school? The store? You can walk surprisingly far in 15 minutes. Or 20.
Your day is likely filled with walking opportunities. Don't wimp out and fire up the Prius.
Demonstrate
You read my blog because you're fit. You're awesome. But how does your kid know that you go to the gym on Wednesdays?
Your kid needs to see you sweat. And not only when they ask where you lay the eggs to make babies. Put them on a bike when you run. Take them to the track. Have them help you clean your hockey gear.
The advantage of this strategy is that they'll see what it's like to continue being active beyond childhood and you'll have clean gear.
Participate
There's generally two modes to "just doing it." Either the parents are doing it, and the kids are watching, or the kids are doing it, and the parents are watching.
There's a third way. Participate with your kids. Find things to do that gets you both out there. Go find a parent/child team time trial. Go do the Mom and Tot's 24hr race. Or just go for a ride.
Once in a while my kids like running around the block with me while I cool down. It's fun.
Videos
My kids love watching Cars. But I do my damndest to make sure they also like watching world cup cross country skiing.
It doesn't matter what the events are. You can find various videos on youtube, on bittorrent sites, etc, and they are all perfectly useful in brainwashing your kids into thinking that everyone has a sport that they do on a regular basis.
Less Rules
Do you have rules that prevent your child's activities? Think hard.
Don't jump. No running! No rolling in the dirt! No riding on the sidewalk! No riding on the street! No shooting at people! Oh wait, scratch that last one.
Experiment
I love to hate people who only have their kids try one sport. Hockey, Hockey, Hockey. After all, I want my kids to try, mountain biking, road cycling, track riding and cyclocross...
But seriously. Lets all resolve to have our kids try one new sport each season. It's all about having fun and, as such, we need our kids to discover something they enjoy. The more they try the better.
Focus on Fun
I think that everyone knows a kid who's burned out of a sport before they really get going. When it stops being fun people quit.
The way to do this, in my entirely uneducated opinion, is to ensure that your kid has enough free time to rest. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Keep them wanting more.
Exercise to Calm Down
I have one kid who's as hyper as an overheated jumping bean. Exercise, even a walk or some ball hockey in the driveway, helps a lot.
This is not so much a way to get your kids active. It's more of an excuse to do so.
Solving the hyperactivity problem leads to success in areas other than sport, leading to a well balanced kid. Hopefully, I've got my fingers crossed.
So....
Do you think I am a complete nutbar? Tell me in the comments.Do you think I am a genius? You can tell me that too.
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