Here's some of the bad news about sedentary lifestyles:
? Forty percent of children ages 5 to 8 show at least one heart disease risk factor, including hypertension and obesity, which among children has doubled over the past two decades.
? The first signs of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) are appearing at age 5 ? something never before seen in anyone under the age of 30.
? Children 6 to 10 are dying of sudden cardiopulmonary arrest.
? According to a recent Centers for Disease Control study, American children born in 2000 face a one-in-three chance of developing Type 2 diabetes ? what used to be called adult-onset diabetes!
? This is thought to be the first generation of children that won't outlive their parents.
The good news is that it doesn't take much to turn things around. We just have to make sure our kids are physically active! Following are some tips for making that happen:
1. Turn off the TV! Research shows children are being electronically entertained an average of five to six hours a week. Without electronics, they'll have to find other ways to keep themselves entertained.
2. Encourage your children to engage in active play. Research shows that the children who are most active are those whose parents have encouraged them to be active.
3. Play with your children! Blow bubbles for them to chase, play tag and hide-and-seek, put on an up-tempo song and boogie in the living room, or put on a John Philip Sousa march ? or break out the pots and pans ? and hold a parade around the house!
4. Serve as a role model, taking part in physical activity ? cheerfully ? yourself.
5. Take the children to parks, playgrounds, beaches, and on hikes during vacations and weekends ? instead of to amusement parks, where they'll stand in lines and then sit on rides.
6. Don't send the wrong message about physical activity by endlessly circling the parking lot for the spot closest to the door. Instead, make a game out of parking as far from the door as possible and finding different ways to get to it (walking backward, tiptoeing, jogging, or skipping).
7. When it's time for gift giving, select items like hula hoops; balls in a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures; roller skates; or a wading pool or swing set. When shopping for games, Twister has more to offer than a board game. And CDs with lively music are a better choice than movie videos.
8. Don't expect organized sports to take care of your child's physical activity needs. There's more waiting than moving in most organized, adult-directed games.
9. Fight to keep physical education and recess in your child's school ? or, if necessary, to get them back! The research shows that, among other things, physical activity contributes to a better attitude toward school and improves academic achievement and test scores!
10. Make sure your child associates physical activity with FUN!
Rae Pica is a children's physical activity specialist and the author of Your Active Child: How to Boost Physical, Emotional, and Cognitive Development through Age-Appropriate Activity (McGraw-Hill, 2003). Visit her and read more articles at http://www.movingandlearning.com
Lincoln Stretch rentals Alsip ..It can be difficult on all family members to have... Read More
Dear Vijay,I worry about not being a good parent. My... Read More
An address given by Rev. David B. Smith... Read More
In my opinion, these things matter...1. Enjoying childlike delights before... Read More
I remember when my daughter was born. Visions of her... Read More
Anyone can become a parent; there are no tests or... Read More
Many working families choose a commercial or individual day care... Read More
Many families, ours included, have learned that breakfast is eaten... Read More
The word no is probably the most overused word in... Read More
An Awesome Dad in by no means perfect. But that... Read More
The key to lifelong learning is reading and writing. When... Read More
Are you feeling overwhelmed being a parent? Do you want... Read More
Many children enjoy TV, and they can learn from it.... Read More
Most people with children want to be good parents. The... Read More
Parental example, whether for good or for bad, is undoubtedly... Read More
"What age should my child start school?"This is a common... Read More
On a recent Saturday evening, I noticed a young teen-age... Read More
Most research into children's friendships shows that those children who... Read More
In dealing with children with autism spectrum disorders, its all... Read More
"To educate a person in mind and not in morals... Read More
There are a few points about shyness in children which... Read More
Self-reliance and potential are two very important values that I'd... Read More
There has been much attention in the media of late... Read More
The first year of a child's life is the most... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
Western Springs shuttle limo ..In dealing with children with autism spectrum disorders, its all... Read More
What should the goals for counseling be when the patient... Read More
In the beginning, having children was just a byproduct of... Read More
Young people generally want to fit in to their various... Read More
Non-compliance is the family therapist's big word for your child... Read More
There are two methods for teaching children to read; whole... Read More
Many companies advertise their products as being educational. How much... Read More
The human brain never actually stops developing. Beginning formation in... Read More
Today's dads are more hands-on than ever before and their... Read More
If you are like most people today, you do not... Read More
The following spelling games can be used by parents to... Read More
Is there a fathering instinct?Celebrated child development expert Erik Erikson... Read More
Despite serious reductions in funding for arts programs in... Read More
No matter how old your children are, you have an... Read More
I am in pain. I've been in pain all day.... Read More
We know that you want your little guy or gal... Read More
Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," public schools whose... Read More
Recently I took my two children to a popular new... Read More
Most of our Founding Fathers, including Ben Franklin, Sam Adams,... Read More
In elementary school it's pretty straightforward: bringing in cupcakes to... Read More
1. STOP focusing on what you are going to make... Read More
Here are ten simple pleasures you can enjoy with your... Read More
Many parents struggle with solutions to put their child on... Read More
The techniques of managing relationships between parents and their children... Read More
Although nothing anybody says can ever completely prepare a woman... Read More
Parenting |