How to Raise Fit Kids

As parents, we work to influence and teach our children. We want to get them on the right path in life. We talk to them, praise them, correct them, and monitor their progress every day. We want them to learn the social skills to get along, to understand the world and stay safe, and to master the academic subjects needed to be successful. However, for most parents our primary dream for our children is that they will be happy and healthy individuals. With the fast pace of life and the turn toward more sedentary pursuits, many parents struggle with keeping their kids fit and healthy. Obesity is on the rise, diabetes is burgeoning, and other health related issues continue to threaten our kids.

What's a parent to do? I am not a physician or nutritionist, nor even a coach, but I have worked with kids and I certainly have my own experience which tells me that at least part of the answer is actually quite simple although certainly not easy. Developing a lifestyle that promotes fitness and wellbeing should probably begin very early in a child's life. Like any behavior, if we learn it as a child under 5 years of age or so, it tends to stick and we don't have to struggle for years learning to overcome bad habits. It happens with very little effort on our part.  Therefore, what we teach our children as youngsters will tend to follow them for a lifetime. Teaching a healthy lifestyle at this point is therefore critical.

But how do you do that? I'm sure there's a lot of good advice from professionals regarding how to teach good habits regarding healthy eating and an active lifestyle. From my personal experience, however, I would say that the best teaching tool out there is role modeling. Your children learn from the things that you tell them, but even more importantly, they learn from what they see you doing.

Developing healthy eating patterns is surely part of the puzzle. Parents have control over a young child's eating. They buy the food that's in the house and therefore determine what's available to eat. Parents can examine their own choices. Are there plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy products, and so forth? Is there an excessive amount of high fat foods, sugar, and processed foods? Young children can be picky eaters, but allowing them to experiment with the right foods is important. A love of nutritious foods and well balanced meals can be developed at a young age and follow kids throughout their life. The same is true with learning to eat appropriate quantities and eating a bit more slowly. Parents can examine their own patterns as well as what they prepare and make available to their kids. An attitude of "do as I say, not as I do" doesn't work well.

Of course another critical aspect of developing a healthy lifestyle is activity. Much of our modern entertainment and even our vocations tend to be rather sedentary. Learning to develop a more active lifestyle begins in childhood. Again, growing up with such a lifestyle is much easier than trying to suddenly adopt it later in life.  Of course, many parents know how difficult it can be with a child who loves TV, playing video games, and so forth. Requests that they go outside and play can be met with less than enthusiasm. My experience says that starting younger and acting as a role model is critical in many cases.  Clearly, the activity level of a child can't often be matched by their working and older parent. However, parents still have a strong influence and are the best person to shape this behavior for a lifetime.

Examining your own lifestyle can be important. Do you take time to participate in some physical activity daily? What types of recreation do you tend to enjoy when time allows? For many, their "down time" in the evening or on weekends involves television or time on the computer. Entertainment may included watching a sport, enjoying dinner out, or otherwise sitting and being entertained by others. A more active lifestyle involves entertaining yourself rather than being entertained by others, by getting involved and getting moving. Less time in front of a screen, TV or computer, also helps to reduce the influence of media which can negatively effect our children beyond it's sedentary nature.

Taking time each day with a young child to involve them in a physical activity is a good start. Playing chase or catch is an example. Later a game of family baseball, basketball, or other sport builds relationships and a love of activity. Bicycle rides and a day of hiking are good as well as affordable. Forming positive images of physical exercise will help to assure in later life that such activities are enjoyable rather than drudgery that's to be avoided. Forcing ourselves to jump on a treadmill each afternoon can be like punishment and something we avoid, but a daily walk with a loved one can be something to look forward to doing, and something we can commit to very easily. Even family vacations can center on physical activity. Yes, a trip to Disney World is fine but reserve some time for more physical activities, a day sightseeing on a bike, skiing, or some other preferred activity.

As kids begin growing up they may go to camp or join a sports league or team, but the days spent in fun family physical acitivities may well be what they will incorporate and use throughout their life even as they age. These early patterns are what will influence them to always maintain healthy patterns.

If a parent models healthy eating patterns and higher levels of activity not only do their children tend to adopt this lifestyle, but the parents can also improve their own health and well being. Stress levels can subside and family relationships are strengthened.  Understanding and accepting the power of being a good role model will not only help your child develop into a healthy and happy adult  but benefit you as well. A healthy lifestyle comes about based on a lifelong pattern of living which starts when we're very young and shouldn't have to involve a battle.