Getting your kids to start exercizing

Chrisborro

I just had my son and daughter work out 20 mins.. Lesley sansone walking video. Results: my son whos 12 did it all only because he gets a minute of game time for every mins of workout time he does. My daughter lasted about 4 mins complaining how stupid it was. I was like so its stupid to get healthy and exercize and she was like no this video is stupid. Shes 11

Any suggestions for her would be great ty

UponThisRock

Good post.

Also, get them into spelling and grammar classes. Helps with resumes.

fisherlassie

It's tough. It was like pulling teeth until we found Aikido. It is a japanese martial art that is all about protecting yourself and the attacker. My son was hooked after the first day. He has worked up to 3 classes a week and his sensei gave him extra exercises to do at home and he does them every day no problem except when he is sick (that has been a lot recently). I think they just need to keep trying things until they find something they can be passionate about.

Rayman79

This is not my area of expertise, but if I could just start by offering an observation. It sounds as though you are setting up exercise to be viewed as a necessary evil, rather than a fun activity. I say this because you encouraged your kids to do the video with you with the promise of a 'fun' reward at the end.

Don't get me wrong, I think you trying to get them involved in your activities, spending time with them and encouraging exercise are all awesome, I just don;t think you have chosen the right forum for them.

In my view, you would be better off using your time with them to go outside and play outside (when the weather permits of course). Find out what they would like to do, and shape that into your activity, ie going for a bike ride with them, playing soccer or frizbee etc.

Just remember that kids are naturally more active, and while we want to set good habits for them early on we need to remind ourselves that (usually) at this age thinhs like 'working out' and losing weight are not even on their radar.

Personally I do exercises with my little girl, she is only 4. She started expressing interest in what I did when I disappeared to the gym each morning, so I asked if she'd like me to show her. I now make it fun by doing pushups with her on my back, or do starjumps or other exercises with her. When she stops being interested I'm not going to push it though. Setting a positive example yourself and simply allowing them to see what you do will have more impact than you might realise!

Chrisborro

I see your point. We are all new to exercizing and stuff here so i appreciate the input. Ty

BobbyClerici

Great post!

I've had this covered since they were walking.

I exercise all 5 of my boys - 6 days each week. No fat kids in our home, no junk food and no laying around playing computer games. As for suggestions, my boys know nothing is negotiable with me. They do it unless pain is something they enjoy - end of story.

I can control my little part of the world, and other parents must find their own way.

Good luck.

threeforagirl

They're still young enough to go outside and play. That is the best thing for children that age, really.

threeforagirl

This is not my area of expertise, but if I could just start by offering an observation. It sounds as though you are setting up exercise to be viewed as a necessary evil, rather than a fun activity. I say this because you encouraged your kids to do the video with you with the promise of a 'fun' reward at the end.

Don't get me wrong, I think you trying to get them involved in your activities, spending time with them and encouraging exercise are all awesome, I just don;t think you have chosen the right forum for them.

In my view, you would be better off using your time with them to go outside and play outside (when the weather permits of course). Find out what they would like to do, and shape that into your activity, ie going for a bike ride with them, playing soccer or frizbee etc.

Just remember that kids are naturally more active, and while we want to set good habits for them early on we need to remind ourselves that (usually) at this age thinhs like 'working out' and losing weight are not even on their radar.

Personally I do exercises with my little girl, she is only 4. She started expressing interest in what I did when I disappeared to the gym each morning, so I asked if she'd like me to show her. I now make it fun by doing pushups with her on my back, or do starjumps or other exercises with her. When she stops being interested I'm not going to push it though. Setting a positive example yourself and simply allowing them to see what you do will have more impact than you might realise!

I absolutely LOVE the way you are getting your daughter involved with your work outs! You give some awesome advice here

MB_Positif

Make it fun! My son is only 5 and he loves to exercise, he'll do jumping jacks, crunches, push ups, etc. He's followed along on a few workout DVD's for maybe 5 to 10 minutes. Over the summer we played Tennis and would run the trails at our local park. Last weekend he and my husband did a 1 mile fun run together. He finished under 14 minutes which I think is pretty great for a 5 year old! Give them a challenge to get them excited!!!

Lipvanmeier26

My neice seems to enjoy the DVD from Shaun T that I ordered her. It's dance moves and such... you can get it from my site if you want that information message me

snowstorme

We got an xbox 360 connect and my daughter discovered she loved to do the dance games. We also as a family started Tae Kwon Do. We also started swim classes for my son. We are lucky that we have a very go YMCA near us.

Emme727

I have 5 children: ages 18, 13, 11, 7, and 5. All of the children have been exposed to various types of exercise their entire lives. We would take family biking trips (little boys in the trailer and older children "duck up"). We also would go swimming together, take walks in the woods, go for short runs, etc. Now in the winter, we all enjoy dancing in the kitchen together as we cook. They also enjoy doing push-ups, squats, and whatever else I am doing (well.... the younger kids do. The older children participate in school sports).

I think that making exercise/activity part of an every day event instead of a chore is a great way to approach this. Children love to go exploring in the woods. It's family time and activity rolled into one. We also throw a football in the yard or kick a soccer ball around. Make exercise/activity part of every day life and not a chore.

Oh and as I am working out, they often join in the fun. We laugh at zumba moves (even while sweat is dripping down my face, the children follow along). And they love my work-outs. I think that I have to be an example to them as well. My exercises may be for health and weight loss, but it is my goal to make them see that I enjoy them, even when I grunt, groan, sweat, or cry -- I always finish with a smile, "wow that was hard work, but I feel great!."

darrcn5

I would go about it with activities that are fun, not workout videos. Get outside and play tag with them. Go for a walk, take them bowling, mini golf, one of the countless dance games out there, biking, skating, swimming, the possibilities are endless.

NoAdditives

Find some physical activities they might actually enjoy. Get your daughter into dance or soccer, your son into basketball or martial arts. Have them do something that is active without it feeling like forced exercise. My kids are still toddlers so getting they're constantly active, but as they get older they'll always be in some sort of sport. We want them to stay active but we don't want them to think they have to go to a gym (or use a workout video) to stay in good health.

courtgosvener

Have them run and play outdoors in your yard. Let them pick a sport they like to play like basketball or something and have them join a team. Get a membership to the YMCA and let them shoot hoops or swim laps in the pool. Have them ride their bikes with you, go as a family (it might be cold now, but in the spring this would be a nice family activity) Buy Just Dance 2 and 3 for the Wii or Xbox Kinect and have them compete with each other to do the dances. Things like this are fun and don't seem like work. Starting at a young age with having them play outdoors (no video games until much older) and stuff helps in my opinion. We didn't have that stuff in the house until my younger brother who is 21. He was lazy and never wanted to do anything as a result. He was blessed with skinny genes as my step dad is 6 foot 4, but I am sure if he didn't have the skinny genes he would probably be fat and lazy now. Video games I think make us lazier!

But, "forcing" them to play or even bribing them with video game time is just going to turn them off to it. You want them to be healthy, then make it a way of life. Build it in to your everyday life. Make things everyday tasks, not boring Walking tapes that I can't even do for very long! (28 yr old)

Chrisandsteph99

My sonn is 15 and he will be joining the gym with me in January. He might not like it but it will be good for him. I know he will thank me later. Unfortunately video games have taken over our house but not anymore . Good for you!

maryd523

Why don't kids go outside and play on their own anymore? Crime rates are lower then they used to be and falling, so surely that's not an excuse. Why do they need adults doing workout videos with them or coaching them to do jumping jacks or whatever it is.

Take away the TV, the video games, the cell phones and send them outside! (Yes, even in winter.)

BeachGurl815

I think its great you want to get your kids into fitness. I can understand why your 11 yr old thought doing a Leslie Sansone video was 'stupid'. I think it would be better to make it fun and not a chore so they learn to make it a healthy lifelong habit. At your kids ages they should be involved in sports or outdoor activities like bike riding, running around playing tag, hide-and-seek, manhunt, football, soccer...etc with your or their friends.

AZackery

I just had my son and daughter work out 20 mins.. Lesley sansone walking video. Results: my son whos 12 did it all only because he gets a minute of game time for every mins of workout time he does. My daughter lasted about 4 mins complaining how stupid it was. I was like so its stupid to get healthy and exercize and she was like no this video is stupid. Shes 11

Any suggestions for her would be great ty

Did you do a regular Leslie Sansone workout with your children or the Leslie's Family workout? She has one, where kids are walking too. Amazon sells it. Check Collagevideo.com and youtube for a clip.

zoom2

While video workouts and games like the Wii have their place, I think they are a very slippery slope to kids getting it in their head that the outdoors is unsafe or too much work...which is a slippery slope to becoming completely inactive. I've also personally found that I have a VERY difficult time sticking to video workouts for more than a month or two before I quit out of sheer boredom, regardless of how many different videos I am rotating.

There's a reason that treadmills are often referred to as closet extensions--a lot of people who have them end up eventually hanging clothing off of them. Again, there's a high risk of boredom with indoor exercise.

Can you get them on bikes? That's our favorite family activity. We even purchased a nice road tandem with a telescopic rear seatpost so that our DS (10) could do rides with us. By early Summer he had already completed a 53 mile ride with us and still had energy to spare at the end. Not once on the back of the bike has he complained of boredom. He also is expressing interest in training for his first 5k race. Your kids are at a great age to do that. And if you aren't a runner, then it's something you could train to do with them. Even if you all walked the entire distance it would be great exercise with minimal investment in equipment.

If you live in an area with snow (like we would have here, most years...we're gonna have a brown Christmas, for a change), consider snowshoes. Basic ones can be relatively inexpensive and used ones are not hard to find, either.

Kids really need to be outdoors at least some, every day. Kids who get outdoors learn to appreciate nature and want to protect it. And vitamin D is important for growing bones, too.

asyouseefit

Kids don't need workout videos. They need to go outside and play, bike, run, swim, play collective sports...