4 Healthy Ways to Help Your Kid Stay Active

Isla Ann Wright - 11 Dec 17

Having a child in this day and age is a very challenging task. The swift development of technology has brought us a lot of advantages and amazing opportunities, ones that we could only fantasize about in the earlier times. Many stories from sci-fi books actually came true and we’re all enjoying the perks that this amazing tech boom brought us. However, it’s easy when you’re an adult, responsible for yourself, but our kids don’t really know about priorities and the amount of time they should dedicate to computers. Consequently, there’s an increasing problem of children’s health as lifestyles have changed in ways that make us less active and prompt us to spend more and more time sitting down instead of walking or exercising. This is why it’s tough for today’s parents to keep their children active. Nevertheless, it’s not impossible and there are ways to keep your kids healthy even without nagging all the time.

Interest them in sports

As we have already mentioned, with all the attractions of computers, phones and other gadgets, it’s hard to interest children in playing sports. However, if you start nurturing this habit from early age, it will become normal to your kids and they’ll never have a problem with a lack of physical activity. A good example is to have them join a sports club, it’s a great way to stay active and socialize at the same time. Nevertheless, you must be careful when suggesting, you don’t want to cause a counter-effect. That is why you should offer options and leave the choice entirely to your kids.

Play with your kids

Don’t wait for your kids to start school to create healthy habits. Make sure to play with your children as soon as you can. Implement fun games that also include running around and spending time in nature. If you make it a regular activity, it will be more efficient. For instance, you could buy a trampoline for your children. Many people have kid-friendly trampolines in NZ and they keep them in their backyard, which makes them very convenient. In addition, the trampolines can be used whenever the weather is nice. The important thing is to make your kids interested in the activity and for you to also join in, especially when they’re very young.

Developmentally appropriate activities

Another important aspect of the whole issue is not to randomly choose a sport or activity for your kids, but to have their physical development in mind. They need to be age-appropriate and also have a positive impact on your child’s development. Choose a sport that equally impacts your children’s body and muscles, since it’s essential in the early age. If you’re not sure which activity would be best for your kids, make sure to consult a pediatrician or some other competent professional that can help you make the right decision.

Be a role model

Last but not least, you should try to set a good example for your kids. You need to know that children’s role models are their parents, at least for the first ten years or so. That is why you also need to be active and nurture healthy habits. The best way for kids to learn is by a model of behavior. So, set the example you want your kids to follow and it will work most of the time.

We all love our children the most, that is quite natural. However, we don’t always make the best decisions and we often need help. The important thing is not to be ashamed to ask for advice and keep doing the best we can. It’s hard to have everything under control and keep everything in mind, but as long as we love our kids and do our best to help them have the best possible upbringing.

Isla Ann Wright

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