Your Parenting Info

Being active is an important part of keeping healthy. Physical activity can help people of all ages keep fit, strengthen the immune system, improve concentration, and prevent obesity. Activities can be fun and sociable as well. Research reveals that lack of physical activity can hinder a child’s physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development. But knowing these benefits isn’t enough, it is important for parents to take part in making their children become active.

Over the past century, children have become less active because families are becoming smaller. Parents don’t want to have many kids so their child’s playmates are limited at home. In addition, dangers outside the home are more pronounced. Kids are advised to stay at home and not loiter around the backyard and the streets to be safe. All this leads them to become couch potatoes. They play computer games and watch television all day. Given this situation, how can a parent encourage his child to be more active? Well, here are some tips:

–    Walk them to school instead of driving them or letting them take the public transport.
–    Set a limit to the time they can watch television or play computer games each day
–    Visit local parks, swimming pools, or areas with wide open spaces for play
–    Encourage your child to enroll in a local sporting club. He can try out a few sessions first before enrolling for a set session
–    Go on outdoor adventures with them. During their vacation, take them on camping trips or fishing trips.
–    Play with them. One of the reasons they don’t play as much as they could have is they don’t have a playmate. If you have some free time, play with them. You also will be leading them by example.