How Can You Motivate Your Child?
Child obesity is a serious problem today, but how do you motivate your child to increase their amount of physical activity? Check out these 5 simplistic tips that will definitely help you motivate your child to be more active!
Motivate your child to be active
The New Zealand Medical Journal published a report in 2015 on childhood obesity in the country. It states that among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries, New Zealand ranks third after Greece and Italy in having the largest number of obese and overweight children…
…Representing 11% of the country’s child population.
Australia has a lower percentage, although the rise in childhood obesity is becoming alarming as well. The main reasons for this statistic are the overconsumption of calories due to the ready availability of food, a sedentary lifestyle, and limited access to physical activities. The awareness about this problem has prompted the government to take a deeper look into the situation, implement remedial measures and encourage the community to engage in the campaign to reverse the trend.
Children today are fast becoming couch potatoes, thanks to television, online activities, and the number of video games that can be played on different platforms and devices. The question high in the minds of concerned parents is how to motivate their children to be physically active. Here are a few tips to get your children to boost their strength, build their endurance, burn more calories and still look forward to their next set of exercises.
1. Talk to your child’s pediatrician first
2. Find activities your child enjoys
It will be easier to coax them to go out and play/exercise when your child enjoys the sport or outdoor activity. If it is enjoyable, it can motivate the child to continue. It will also help if the family is involved. Make sure that the activity is age-appropriate and bring their buddies along for additional encouragement.
3. Use kid-sized fitness routines
Children’s muscles get fatigued faster than adults, so their exercise routines should be more like play than real exercise. Injury and pain can frighten and traumatize children. Get them to come run or walk along with you.
Make it playful and short, like tossing a ball or Frisbee in between laps to make it more fun and enjoyable. Let them see you exercising as well, and encourage them to hop, skip or run around the track as you do your laps.
4. Allow them to set the pace
Understand that children can speed up at one point and then suddenly slow down to do something else. Allow them to run ahead but make sure you let them know that they should wait for you after a short distance to see to it that they are safe. You could also choose a trail where there are exercise stations at short intervals. They can then explore, stretch, or try other exercises while waiting for you to catch up.
5. Provide your child with a safe environment
If you live in the city, there are fitness clubs that offer different exercise plans suited for children. You’ll find exercise routines that are tailored to their developmental stage, where they can team up and interact with other children.
Wrap-Up
These are just some of the many ways that you can motivate your child to be more active.
Provide them with good athletic shoes and the right clothes. Make sure that you give them no-pressure goals and serve them more nutritious and healthier food. Set time for TV and video games and time for exercise.
Be their role model to give them encouragement.
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