Teaching Our Children

Have you heard about - or perhaps seen for yourself the alarming trend of childhood obesity? Those two words just don't sound right together. Doesn't the word Children conjure up images of carefree, happy little ones running around the playground? Do you remember when your parents had to practically drag you inside to eat Supper? "But Mom, can't we please play just a little longer?"

Do you remember when after school meant playing football in the empty lot down the street or a neighbor's yard? Riding bikes until dark or shooting baskets at the nearest basketball goal? Maybe you enjoyed coming home from school on your skateboard? And riding it until your parents made you come inside!

What have we done to our children? If you're like me you may totally regret the day you brought home your child's first video game. And do they really need a TV and Computer in their own room? Well, we can't totally undo the video game craze or take away the Disney Channel can we?

Maybe its time to set some ground rules or negotiate some changes in how after-school time is spent. I heard about a family nearby who turns their TV off on School days. Absolutely NO time in front of their tv until the weekend rolls around. I bet their children earned better grades than our boys did last year!

If we want healthy, well balanced children, we have to lead them to make healthy choices. If they see us come home after a long day and plop down on the couch for a couple hours of tv time - what are they going to learn? What if we spend that same couple of hours playing with our children instead? Or getting actively involved in their homework?

Go for a walk and practice basic math skills while you enjoy time together in the fresh autumn air! Shoot hoops before supper - or after. Invite the neighbor kids over for some fun. Volunteer to help coach your childs favorite sport!

The best way to increase physical activity in your family life is for you to be a part of it. Activities should be fun and something that the whole family can do together. Share healthy habits with your children.

Kids ( and parents ) need at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, but it doesn’t have to be all at one time. Short walks, active chores, walking the dog—it all adds up! Make physical activity a project that the whole family can enjoy together. Encourage everyone to think of fun things to do to get off the couch, away from TV and computer screens and get moving!

Keep Your Children Fit, Trim and Healthy

Every classroom had one - that one child who was bigger than his or her peers. Not necessarily taller - but bigger. In generations past that large child's weight and body shape was often the result of some hormonal or chemical imbalance. Many of these children grew up to enjoy body shapes closer to the average. They simply outgrew their baby-fat or childhood flab.

Sadly, this is not as often the case in 2010. The trend toward childhood obesity is downright shocking. What is going on to bring about these alarming statistics we've all seen or heard?

Blame it on too much TV time - or too many hours wasted playing video games. Blame it on the junk we feed them. Look at the list of ingredients the next time you pick up a child's favorite snack or soft-drink. Even allegedly healthy fruit juices can contain alarming amounts of sugar or the dreaded high fructose corn syrup.

A growing body of scientific research is resulting in clear evidence on the positive relationship between active outdoor play and children's health.

Playing and regular vigorous physical activity (activities that produce a noticeable increase in heart rate - like brisk walking, biking, and active outdoor playing) is important for healthy growth and development among children and adolescents.

There is strong evidence showing beneficial effects of physical activity on muscle strength and endurance, bone health and cardiovascular health. A positive association has also been found between physical activity and improvements in concentration, memory, and classroom behavior.

Girls with a more natural view (trees, grass, shrubs) performed better on standardized performance measures of concentration compared to girls who looked at a more barren setting (buildings, dirt, or paved surfaces).

Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) had milder ADD symptoms after engaging in play outside versus playing inside. The “greener” the play setting (parks, farms, places with tall trees, grass, or natural water sources), the milder the symptoms.

If you want your children to do better in school - encourage them to play outdoors more. Lead by example and play with them. Take them along the next you go for a nice energizing bike ride. Encourage them to join you in a brisk walk around the park. Let them rid their bikes and just try to keep up with them!

Start each day with a healthy breakfast. Our children need a well balanced, nutrient rich start to their day - just as we do. Study after study has confirmed the many benefits of eating a healthy breakfast. Children who get a good night's sleep and have breakfast seem to do better in school.

All work and no fun leads to almost certain boredom. Children need to play. Encourage them to get outside and get some fresh air and burn off some of their seemingly boundless energy. Children who go outside and play at recess also enjoy better results in the classroom!

If you want your most beloved little ones to grow up healthy and avoid the fat-trap, just say no to the fat-food drive-thru windows. Tell the big fast-food chains you don't want their fat and maybe they will start offering healthier choices.

Encourage them to drink more water and milk and way less soda or juice. Keep a bowl of fruit within easy reach so they can reach for something healthy after school.

And - encourage them to get outside and play! If your child has gained too much weight or if you have concerns about their body shape - don't fret. Talk to your school nurse or doctor. Help your children exercise and lose weight - the fun way!

Healthy Children

The benefits of better health and fitness start at an early age.

Healthy children are more likely to develop into healthy adults. Playing sports and regular physical activity can reduce your childrens’ risk of many of the chronic diseases of adulthood. Student athletes do better academically and have lower school drop-out rates than their nonathletic counterparts. Frequent regular physical activity can enhance childrens’ mental health, reducing symptoms of stress and depression and improve their self-esteem.

Physical activity and exercise have been clinically proven to enhance your mood and reduce anxiety. Playing sports and getting regular exercise act as a natural, cost-effective intervention for the mental health of adolescents. Numerous authors have documented a combination of psychosocial benefits such as self-confidence, self-esteem, higher energy levels and positive body image. It is important to note that these gains appear to be influenced by interactions with parents, who can either encourage or dampen a child’s interest and involvement in sports.

The benefits for our growing daughters are especially important.

Researchers found that the more days adolescent females exercised per week, the more likely they were to postpone their first experience with sexual intercourse. Second, preliminary analysis from a study of adolescents from western New York (an area with one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy in the United States) indicated that higher rates of athletic participation among adolescent females were significantly associated with lower rates of both sexual activity and pregnancy (Sabo, Farrell, Melnick, & Barnes, 1996).

What can we - as parents - do to encourage our little loved ones to join in the fun? Lead by example is one vital step. Second - encourage our childrens' teachers and school administrators. Girls and boys need to work and play together, starting from an early age. It is often easier for both sexes to play together and learn in small, relaxed groups where children know each other well.

Sports and physical activity can serve as a social and cultural intersection where adolescents, parents and caring adults can come together in mutually supportive ways. The swimming pool, or basketball court are safety zones where our children can hang out together and have fun in a healthy environment. Sports can help our youth test and challenge themselves, learn about competition, develop physical endurance, strength and flexibility, and have fun all at the same time.

Healthy children can grow up to be well balanced, happy and healthy adults!