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Get Active - Parenting Clip
10 ways to get active
There’s no question that physical activity is good for kids and families. Getting the whole family active is not as hard as you might think.
James Ebert, MD, lead physician in the lipid clinic at The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton, offers 10 tips for getting the whole family moving.
"Maintaining a healthy weight requires lifestyle changes that include good nutrition and activity," Dr. Ebert says. He believes that families are most successful when they can work physical activity into their daily routines.
Get started on a healthy life
- 1. Make it challenging. Children love competition. You can make activities challenging to them by having contests. If you are watching TV, see how many sit-ups or pushups they can do during a commercial. Make a game out of common tasks like cleaning up the backyard. Incorporate little fitness challenges into daily activities.
- 2. Create opportunities. Some kids may not like team or group activities, but may excel in activities such as active video games. Look for creative ways for your child to be active both individually and in groups. If children find an activity they enjoy they will stick with it longer.
- 3. Get outside. Simply getting outside and breathing fresh air is a great way to spend time with your family and become more active. Do anything - play tag, play catch, ride a bike, swing, play basketball, walk a dog or join their outdoor games.
- 4. Play. During the last days of summer, kids don’t want structure. Remember that being active doesn’t always require a structured schedule.
- 5. Make family time active time. Plan times for everyone to get moving together. Take walks, ride bikes, go swimming, garden or just play hide-and-seek outside. Everyone will benefit from the exercise and the time together.
- 6. Limit TV, computer time and video games. These habits lead to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive snacking.
- 7. Set specific goals, such as one hour of physical activity a day. When goals are too abstract the chance for success decreases. Celebrate successes when children reach their goals.
- 8. Make activity special. Schedule birthday parties and events at skating rinks, parks, gymnasiums, supervised swimming pools and other activity-oriented places.
- 9. Create space for activity. Set up an indoor area where rolling, climbing, jumping and tumbling are allowed.
- 10. Be a role model. Parents need to lead by example. Remember, your children are always watching you. Make sure you are also participating and playing with your children. If they see you having an active lifestyle they will want to do the same.
Reducing screen time
One of the quickest ways to bring more activity into your child’s life is to limit the time he or she spends watching TV, playing video games or surfing the internet.
Tips for cutting back on screen time include:
- 1. Talk to your kids and explain why it is important to get physical activity. Talk about alternatives to screen time - shooting hoops, playing in the backyard, taking a walk, etc.
- 2. Take the TV out of your child’s bedroom. Research shows that kids who have TV in their bedroom spend almost 1-1/2 hours more in front of the TV than kids who don’t have a TV in their room.
- 3. Plan TV watching. At the beginning of the week, have kids pick their favorite shows and figure out how that fits your allowed TV viewing time.
- 4. Be a role model. Don’t spend a lot of time in front of the television if you want your kids to cut back.
For more information on this topic, go to kohlsminutes.childrensdayton.org. You will find more tips for getting active, a podcast and other health and safety information.
About our expert
James Ebert, MD, is a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine. He serves as the lead physician of the lipid clinic at Dayton children’s and is an associate professor of community health and pediatrics at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine.
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