how to motivate kid to be active?

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  • Yaxomoxay
    Yaxomoxay Posts: 25 Member
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    Yet, I get literal tears from her and whining that she's tired, doesn't want to do it for very long (she's FINE and happy for the first 15 mins or so of high energy activity!), she can't breathe, it makes her sweat and she doesn't like it, and that she even goes as far to say it makes her back or legs hurt!

    She's 5. Maybe she *is* tired.

    My whiney seven-year old is like this child. I had to force her to move, and she'd tell me she was tired, didn't want to, something hurt, etc. Truth is, she was bored. We tried ballet. Her ballet teacher said she had the most raw talent she had seen in ages, but she wouldn't listen and complained, so because she was ruining it for the other girls, we pulled her out. Then I tried a different after-school program that failed for the same reason. Then we tried beach walking, but she cried after 10 minutes saying her legs hurt or she was tired. Then tried swimming, but all she wanted to do was sit in the hot tub.

    So what finally got her going? MMA 5 days a week, 90 minutes a day. This worked! She's good at it. It's tougher than anything else we've tried, and she doesn't complain about getting hurt, and this is a lot rougher than ballet, that's for sure.

    You just need to figure out what interests her and encourage that with everything you got.

    So she complained about getting hurt and then she is going for pro-MMA UFC fighter of the year?
    Gotta love kids! They are truly incredible!
  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
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    Kids like to imitate adults.
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 700 Member
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    This response is for all aged kids.


    Turn off the TV. Do active activities with your kids regardless no matter what age. I still go with my 16 year old daughter mountain biking, spin class, cross country skiing etc.. quite often. Also, set the example!! If they see you going to the health club, working out or being active they might just follow suit.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,662 Member
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    Be active with her, don't just drive her to various lessons where you sit and watch. Play kickball. Play softball. Ride bikes. You need to sweat right along with her.

    i think this is the best advice.

    although i think its worth while to push a kid to try something, but once they give it a few weeks and they still hate it, probably best to listen to them.

    but what do i know.

    note to self: parenting sucks
  • OkieTink
    OkieTink Posts: 285 Member
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    Turn off the TV.

    YES!
  • OkieTink
    OkieTink Posts: 285 Member
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    note to self: parenting sucks

    Yea...but you never know when you'll need a kidney :D



    Just kidding...kinda.
  • AmandaLY17
    AmandaLY17 Posts: 184 Member
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    Biggest thing is to be active with her. I had plans to go for a walk around a nature reserve close to home with the kids yesterday, but had already walked 8 km (5-6 miles?) that morning without kids so I was tired and was going to cancel. Then I thought to myself, if I really want my kids to appreciate being outdoors and active I have to model it or it just wont happen..... and the other thing is, it really is difficult to convince them to go out and play, and they drag their feet, but you're the parent, make em lol
  • EmilyMarieMo
    EmilyMarieMo Posts: 67 Member
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    Be active with her.... well, I am!!

    I am her tee ball coach!! I am active with her. I run bases with them, and I make sure to be the example of what it means to hustle. During the summer I swim with her. When we go places and park far out from the building, I encourage her to race me to the door of the building! At the park, I climb around on the playground sets and slide down slides with her! At home we take walks as a family and everything! But she *prefers* to sit in a stroller with her little brother while we walk instead of her walk or ride her scooter or bike next to me.

    I do plan to continue trying different sports and activities that require physical activity to find the one she most likes. But she acts like she loves everything we've done so far. Its just the fun is OVER not long into the activity b/c she's tired and wants to move on to something else! I'm not discounting that she's tired either! It's the fact that I'm looking for a way to motivate her to motivate HERSELF to push herself past her comfort level. Her comfort level is 15 mins in to a high energy activity when all other kids her age range keep going and going like energizer bunnies! No one else is "tired" like she is. When she's playing outside with kids at home, she's done and ready to come inside and other kids aren't. They continue to run around for the next hour. She wants to come in side and color or play barbies or dress up.

    My kid's doctor hasn't "ruled" out anything of pain b/c she is the epitome of a healthy child in every way. Her tears are from frustration of me asking her why she doesn't want to participate anymore. She wants me to just let her do what she wants and stay at the comfort level she wants... which is way lower then the *average* 5 year old! I fully believe it all boils down to her level of self motivation and desire to work hard at something. I WANT to encourage her to do stuff and to be active... but I do not want to cross that line of forcing her to do something and have it back fire on me with resentment from her about the activity and about the fact I wouldn't let her have some say so in the matter. I'm looking for any similar situations that may have found something that worked for them! A way they helped their child learn to ENJOY physical activity beyond the START of a little bit of sweat or elevated breathing.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Yet, I get literal tears from her and whining that she's tired, doesn't want to do it for very long (she's FINE and happy for the first 15 mins or so of high energy activity!), she can't breathe, it makes her sweat and she doesn't like it, and that she even goes as far to say it makes her back or legs hurt!

    She's 5. Maybe she *is* tired.

    My whiney seven-year old is like this child. I had to force her to move, and she'd tell me she was tired, didn't want to, something hurt, etc. Truth is, she was bored. We tried ballet. Her ballet teacher said she had the most raw talent she had seen in ages, but she wouldn't listen and complained, so because she was ruining it for the other girls, we pulled her out. Then I tried a different after-school program that failed for the same reason. Then we tried beach walking, but she cried after 10 minutes saying her legs hurt or she was tired. Then tried swimming, but all she wanted to do was sit in the hot tub.

    So what finally got her going? MMA 5 days a week, 90 minutes a day. This worked! She's good at it. It's tougher than anything else we've tried, and she doesn't complain about getting hurt, and this is a lot rougher than ballet, that's for sure.

    You just need to figure out what interests her and encourage that with everything you got.

    @TLT - if I have/adopt kids, I am going to ask you for advice..lol. :flowerforyou:
  • JESSJESJ
    JESSJESJ Posts: 121 Member
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    1. She's five.
    2. Swimming is great - I always hated sweating when I was a kid. It was never fun. Loved swimming & Swim team. Did it all through grade school, HS & a year in college. was a life guard and swim teacher in hs & college too. See if there is a local indoor pool during the winter.
    3. dance class? gymnastics? rugby? (its just an awesome sport)
  • badbradclark
    badbradclark Posts: 47 Member
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    Um...she's 5. It sounds like you are obsessing over finding a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. You say she is super healthy...so what's the problem? Pick your battles and plan for the long haul.
  • danah515
    danah515 Posts: 7 Member
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    I get what others are saying and I understand what you are saying too. Fitness related or not it is all about motivation and positive reinforcement. What ways would you motivate a child to clean their room or do homework? Stickers seem to work for little kids. They do a chore and get a sticker, get a good grade and get a sticker. Let's say you start off with 15 minutes of activity and she gets to put a sticker on a "healthy chart". Next time it is 20 minutes. Or maybe some other type of activity. Yeah I know it is very cheesy but kids love it. You would be suprised how much a dollars worth of stickers can accomplish. I don't know how you would give the stickers out though. ??
  • AmandaLY17
    AmandaLY17 Posts: 184 Member
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    musta been sleepy this morning and missed the last paragraph!... And I must say, it sounds like you have her involved in a lot of different things. Kids are just like adults in the sense that if they feel they`re being pushed around (not saying that you necessarily are, but that she might feel that way) then she might just be rebelling. More than 1 organized activity for a child that age is quite a bit... 5 is quite young still.

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