Health Fitness for Kids like Mine

Healthy Fitness for Kids Like Mine

SPRING Into Action

Parents play a significant part in their child's lives, especially in the early years. It is the job of every parent to teach the important lessons of life and healthy fitness is definitely one of them!

Building good habits early increase the chances of a healthier, active adulthood!

But it is not always easy. You must be ready to face failures and acknowledge success. You must be patient, supportive and flexible. You must Spring into Action against inactivity!

"Shift Gears"
One of the biggest reasons the average 9-12 year old drops out of organized sports? They can't keep up with the physically gifted - you know, those athletic kids with amazing natural talent?

All kids develop at different rates. Just because your child isn't considered "gifted" in a particular sport doesn't mean he/she can't be physically fit!

Constant competition resulting in repeated failure or serious mismatching of skills on organized teams can seriously discourage not-so-athletic kids from being active at all!

At this age, the basic rules of a sport are understood. This is when competition comes into play and with it, excessive demands and performance pressures. Serious drilling and emphasis on a winning team often leads these children to simply give up!

But don't despair! It may call for you to be more creative and shift gears. So your child isn't interested in organized sports? There are plenty of things to do, like going for a walk or a bike ride after dinner. How about grabbing a jump rope or having a catch? Try skating or horseback riding. Even things like bowling or a friendly game of ping-pong can increase overall fitness.

Use your imagination - ask your kids - anything that gets them off the couch and in motion is a good thing! Let them see being active is fun. Shift from being the best at a particular activity to just plain having fun - don't let kids slide because they are inept at organized sports!