Would you bring your 13 year old to the gym?

I don't have a daughter, but my 6 year old was pissed when he found out he couldn't work out with me when we had a gym membership. Last night he brought up a kettlebell and resistance band from the basement and did his own workout in our living room. Love that kid. I absolutely want him to learn to be active!

Yes! I'm signing my 14 year old daughter up soon!

It all depends on how they act in the gym, and how you react to their actions.

I took my boys with me to the Y all of the time, somehow I got two gym rats. They both love to lift, something I used to do all through high school and when they were young. And there are plenty of women who bring their kids with them to the exercise room. I think it is a great thing to instill in them.

That being said, the one thing I absolutely *HATE* is when you bring your kids, and they play on the equipment or you change the channels to all of the tvs to Nick and blast some idiot cartoon at me when I was watching the news. I don't believe the exercise rooms are a place for small children. They are clearly marked not for under 14. The equipment isn't a toy to keep children entertained whilst the parents work out, our Y has daycare until 6:00, and people can't use the machine when your child is playing around on it.

I can't tell you the number of times I look down and see small fingers near the treads of the elliptical when I'm on it. I always stop and tell the child to get away from the equipment so they don't get injured. It is generally the same parent who glares at me and tells me they aren't hurting anything. But it will be my a** if her kids get hurt due to her inattention. On the other hand we have a little ballerina that comes in with her mommy, Emma. She always starts out with "Hello Libi, guess what I learned today" After a brief show and tell, she colors or pirouettes or plays with her Barbies in the stretching corner away from the equipment.

Good luck.

I take my 12 year old daughter when I can. Of course she is a competitive gymnast so she is already in the gymnastics gym M-F for 20 hours a week! But on occasion I take her on Saturdays with me. She is all muscle already and can pretty much hang with me on some things as it is especially core or legs!

I don't have kids yet but I'm about to join a gym (literally tonight) and I wouldn't mind people bringing their teenagers to the gym as long as they observed the rules like anyone else. I think I'd be reluctant to same the same for younger children though... primarily because they typically have less self-control in regards to being noisey/disruptive to people around them.

I think 13 is a good age for some maturity. However to the b*tch that brought her 9-10 year old to a lifting/strength class I wanted to slap the hell out of her. The instructor had to spend extra time dealing with watching her (which took time away from EVERYONE) and making sure she didn't hurt herself. Some places are just not for kids.

:explode:

My daughters are 26 and 24. Since the age of 5 they were required to always have a sport. It could be dance, cheer, or any sort of physical activity. They never questioned it. They both ran cross country and track in high school. I got a lot of crap from friends and family for MAKING my kids do a sport. I was told they would grow up hating exercise, having body issues, etc... However, it was an expectation, just like they had to do homework, eat dinner, visit grandma, and clean up after themselves.

My kids are both active, healthy adults. They both still exercise and work out on a regular basis. One plays Gaelic football, soccer, runs, and does cross fit. They other runs 5 ks. They both are active and hike and participate in outdoorsy things. As adults my girls do have some body issues. However, I think the vast majority of women have body issues. I think I would rather them have the anxiety about staying in shape rather than the anxiety, guilt, discrimination issues they would have if they needed to lose 50 pounds. Honestly, I wish my mom would have made physical activity a priority.

My mom was a personal trainer when I was younger, so on days when my dad (a fireman) was working, she'd bring my younger brother and me with her. Sometimes we would just hang out with the owner's kids and watch TV, but when it wasn't very busy, we would go in and use the ellipticals and smaller weight machines. I think this started when I was around 9 and he was around 7

Why doesn't he want her to go to the gym? Rather than just telling him to F off, maybe try educating him in RE to whatever he's concerned with. I know my mom was concerned with me working out when I was younger and that it would stunt my growth, etc...lots of myths out there that can be easily busted with a little knowledge.

Personally, I can't wait to take my boys to the gym. My gym also has kid friendly workout programs, so something you might want to look into.

There are quite a few people at my gym who work out with their kids, mostly lifting which I think is wonderful.

Why on earth would her father object? Exercise and fitness are very impotant to kids. Most are overweight lazy couch potaotoes. I wouild be thrilled if someone brought my kids to the gym when they were that age.

He should be thrilled that your daughter is doing something healthy.

Our now 15 year old daughter has been going with my husband and I since July of last year. Just this past weekend we took our 12 year old daughter for the first time. She loved it and wants a membership which we will do next month (we have a few free passes to use up). In August our youngest daughter will be 12 and we will take her as well. My husband and I are advocates of teaching our kids about being healthy not fat/thin. We talk about nutrition a lot and are teaching "everything in moderation".

Is he worried that some dirty old men will try hitting on her or something?