Ways to get any child to exercise
Perhaps your child hates
sports or is more into video games than the kickball field. Or maybe he feels
too good to keep up with other kids his age. Whatever the reason, it can be
difficult to motivate a child to exercise when they are simply not interested.
You know bullying doesn't
work. And you may worry that if you overdo it on your evening outing or sign up
for little league, you'll stop your child's exercise for good.
But you have more power than
you think.
Parents can do a lot to get
even the most sedentary kids to move more.
A few tricks will help kids
move more regularly, even if they don't sign up for the football team anytime
soon.
Understand that exercise looks different for kids. For you, exercise can mean running on a treadmill for 30
minutes or burning a certain number of calories. But children behave
differently than adults.
Kids train in short bursts and
use their bodies in different directions,” so keep that in mind when suggesting
activities. “Think of yourself as a playmate, not a personal trainer.
So instead of sending your
child out for a run, invite them to play a family game in the backyard.
Bonus: When you move with your
children, there is a triple negative effect: your children move, you move, and
this is a great way for all of you to interact with each other.
Talk about the benefits of exercise. You don't need to convince your child to change their
hobbies or interests. Just help him understand how moving his body will help
him feel better in other areas of his life.
For example, if you have a
bookworm who would rather be in a math league than a baseball field, talk to
him about how exercise can improve his brain, focus, and concentration.
Get sneaky.
There are many ways to get kids active so they don't realize they're moving
around more. Park your car further away from the entrance to the mall so
everyone has to walk more ground to get inside. Or, if your child loves
animals, invite them to volunteer at a local shelter where they can walk their
dog.
Instead of looking at it as
mean, think of yourself as the mastermind behind your child's well-being.
Understand why your child doesn't like to exercise. Maybe it's a simple reason, like she doesn't like being
hot and sweaty. Or there may be other problems in the game. Is she being
bullied on the tennis court or does she have trouble breathing while running?
If you know what's going on,
it's easier to find a solution to help it.
If you can't figure this out,
consider taking your child to a counselor who may be able to help you
understand why your child doesn't want to be active.
You may not have the skills to
identify the underlying reason your child is avoiding exercise, and that's
okay. There are professionals who can help.
Start small.
Experts say kids should get about an hour of exercise a day, but that doesn't
mean you should tell them. If 30 minutes of exercise seems like too much for
kids, they won't do it.
Instead, ask them to dedicate
some time to exercise, even just 5 minutes.
The goal is to get them to set
a goal and stick to it. When children dedicate themselves to even a small
amount of exercise, they will probably feel better, think and say: “I did it. It
will inspire them to do more and more as time goes by.
Switch up your go-to family activities. Instead of watching Friday movies or going to brunch
after church, head to the trampoline park or rock climbing wall or go camping
with a picnic. Come up with new motion-focused ideas and see what your kids are
most excited about.
Just like adults who avoid the workouts they hate and prioritize the exercises they love, kids will want to keep doing what they really enjoy.