I want my daughter to run

Pitterpatter
Pitterpatter Posts: 243 Member
edited December 17 in Fitness and Exercise
I run and I love it. I finished my first half marathon less than 2 months ago on my birthday and that sense of accomplishment was incredible. Anyway, my oldest daughter is 11.5 and let's face, she's kind of awkward. I want her to start running with me. She needs something to be good at. I want her to feel good about herself and to be proud of herself, I want her to know that she can do anything!!!
Anyone have tips on how to get her started? She's very tall, very thin, and not athletic at all. Lol!!!
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Replies

  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    If there one thing that preteen girls are dying to do, it's to hang out with mom.
  • shedoos
    shedoos Posts: 446 Member
    If there one thing that preteen girls are dying to do, it's to hang out with mom.

    As the mother of a 12 year old - I agree.

    Our local YMCA has both "Girls on the Run" and a kid's triathlon training class. She might go for it if she can participate in something with other girls.
  • Pitterpatter
    Pitterpatter Posts: 243 Member
    We actually adore each other. We need more time together and I really think she would love it!! I have 3 other younger children and she (sadly) doesn't get the one on one time she deserves.
  • loudvoice1
    loudvoice1 Posts: 29
    I would suggest asking her what she would like to do. Instead of telling her what you want her to do --- ask her what SHE wants. Give her your full support and she'll get that awesome sense of accomplishment once she's got into what she wants to do. If it's running that's absolutely awesome, because that means she can spend time with you and you can both be cheerleaders for each other :)
  • huntingforhipbones
    huntingforhipbones Posts: 67
    She's 11 - all girls are awkward at that age! There's no need to pressure her so young. Unless by "awkward", you mean "chubby", in which case pushing it on her even more will only make body image an issue. Rather than force "something she could be good at" on her, why don't you ask for HER input?
  • bakay138
    bakay138 Posts: 47 Member
    Look for some short "fun runs" in your community geared for kids. Sometimes there is a kids fun run attached to a 5k run. That would probably be the best place to start. You can run the 5k while she cheers you on and she can do the fun run while you cheer her on. If she does a few of these short fun runs she may be get the running bug.

    Don't push too hard for her to enjoy what you enjoy. Running is dreadful for people who don't like it. If you would like to give her the opportunity to "be good at something" why don't you just ask her what sport she would like to try. I did this with my 8yo old and it turned out to be Karate, (not running like I might have liked!). He has been so committed to it for the last year and quite motivated because he enjoys it so much.

    Mommy runs, son gets his blue belt. Works for both of us!
  • Pitterpatter
    Pitterpatter Posts: 243 Member
    If there one thing that preteen girls are dying to do, it's to hang out with mom.

    As the mother of a 12 year old - I agree.

    Our local YMCA has both "Girls on the Run" and a kid's triathlon training class. She might go for it if she can participate in something with other girls.

    I tried Girls on the Run but they "full" until next year :(
  • Bankman1989
    Bankman1989 Posts: 1,116 Member
    As a dad to 3 boys, 2 of them now grown, I NEVER made them do anything they didn't want to do. They excelled in basketball, and one son was awesome in football the other son only played 1 year even though he was faster stronger and better at it than all of the kids his age. The reason why he didn't play is because he was a wayyyy better swimmer. Now I wasnt a swimmer and definitely would have never signed him up but he WANTED to swim and started competing at the age of 5. He still holds numerous local swimming records and now swims in college.

    Here's the funny thing about that..his full name is Nolan Ryan Bethely. I named him after my favorite baseball player. As much as I loved baseball my kids NEVER played.

    Let her find her own passion.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    tell her she isnt allowed HAHAHAHA
  • Pitterpatter
    Pitterpatter Posts: 243 Member
    I want to mention that she has expressed interest. I'm not a pushy mom at all!! And when I say awkward It has nothing to do with her physique.
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
    Does SHE want to run? Running is hard...and it's not entirely fun at first...sometimes even after years it has unfun times. Unless she wants to run there's no point in pushing her. I'm a Girls On The Run coach. For the most part those girls really want to be there and have been doing GOTR for several years...but there are still days when they don't feel much like running.

    My son is 11. He's skinny, leggy, and has boundless energy--the perfect running physique. But he has very little interest in running. What he does love is biking, so we encourage and support that. Maybe he will want to run someday...maybe not. But he's done >50 miles on the back of our tandem in a single ride and begs to go ride his cyclocross bike with us on unpaved back roads. If he never ever runs we'd be OK with that. He has a fitness activity that he does enjoy. Kids are much more likely to stick with what they like, rather than what we think they should like.
  • emilyc92
    emilyc92 Posts: 182 Member
    Hmm well I don't know if this is something you'd be interested in, but maybe you could say you'll get her a puppy on one condition: she has to take it for a run everyday! I know that would get me to run!
  • crazytreelady
    crazytreelady Posts: 752 Member
    She doesn't NEED something to be good at.. She's a kid.. Let her have fun doing what SHE wants.
  • Pitterpatter
    Pitterpatter Posts: 243 Member
    I'll say it again since it seems to be getting looked past ... She Has expressed interest. She WANTS to learn.

    Her other interest is cheer. But that's a no go.
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
    My 10 year old has been running for a couple of years, and she loves it! I started her out just walking on the treadmill next to me, which she begged to do. After about a month, she started setting hers on a faster speed and slowly built up to a run from there. When I realized how much she liked it, I started signing her up for Fun Runs. It's all about making it fun for them at that age!

    ETA: I just saw that you're in Houston, too. If your daughter gets started, let me know and I'll give you some of the fun runs Katy will be doing.
  • Ironman2be
    Ironman2be Posts: 140 Member
    tell her she isnt allowed HAHAHAHA

    this is the sure fire way to make sure she wants to do it!!!
  • lschuttem
    lschuttem Posts: 82 Member
    hahaha yoovie ^ that probably would have worked for me when i was that age!

    Like others, i would suggest asking her what she wants to do.
    Try asking her if there are any sports/physical activities she would like to try, but dont force it on her.
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
    Her other interest is cheer. But that's a no go.

    Why?
  • angeldaae
    angeldaae Posts: 348 Member
    Anyway, my oldest daughter is 11.5 and let's face, she's kind of awkward. I want her to start running with me. She needs something to be good at. I want her to feel good about herself and to be proud of herself, I want her to know that she can do anything!!!

    How about helping her try lots of new activities until she finds something SHE loves instead of forcing her to do what YOU love?
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    tell her she isnt allowed HAHAHAHA

    Hmmmmmmm, I'll have try than next time I'm trying to get my 14 year old to tidy up her room.


    I'm with the votes for her finding something she wants to do.

    We let our kids try a variety of sports when they were younger and they both settled on soccer. Both of my kids will run with me from time to time but noting regular. If your daughter wants to run with you it could be a great bonding experience.
  • cyndispot
    cyndispot Posts: 135
    if you've checked and it's something she wants to do....buy her a good pair of running shoes, some socks and a couple of "outfits" to run in. I don't know your weather conditions or her wardrobe so the outfits might be unnecessary. Once you get the shoes and the socks, pick a time and say let's go. Seems like the best way to start for me.

    BTW, if she's not a runner - shorten your runs and go her pace to start...try the c25kprogram for her to start with. move when she's ready....
  • LemonBurns
    LemonBurns Posts: 538 Member
    tell her she isnt allowed HAHAHAHA

    Ha ha - ya, that should work - would've for me at that age!

    I know how you feel... I want my 5.5 year old to run with me... I know she's too young, but we take short jaunts to school - it's only 1.3km... sometimes she will run/walks and sometimes I run behind her while she rides her bike - I am so glad that I got active so that she will want to be as well... My kids will NEVER know that their Mom was once a couch potato - and I LOVE that!
  • Pitterpatter
    Pitterpatter Posts: 243 Member
    Her other interest is cheer. But that's a no go.

    Why?

    Because cheer down here is big and you need gymnastics background.
  • Pitterpatter
    Pitterpatter Posts: 243 Member
    Anyway, my oldest daughter is 11.5 and let's face, she's kind of awkward. I want her to start running with me. She needs something to be good at. I want her to feel good about herself and to be proud of herself, I want her to know that she can do anything!!!

    How about helping her try lots of new activities until she finds something SHE loves instead of forcing her to do what YOU love?

    Read my above posts. I'm not forcing anything upon my child. She has expressed interest.
  • angeldaae
    angeldaae Posts: 348 Member
    Her other interest is cheer. But that's a no go.

    Why?

    Because cheer down here is big and you need gymnastics background.

    Maybe she would like to try gymnastics?
  • cyclerjenn
    cyclerjenn Posts: 833 Member
    As a mother of two, 18 and 14, I have found that you need to encourage them to do the activities they like. How I handled the deveristy in the house when it came to activities, we did a weekend "Draw from the hat". Everyone put in the hat an activity (physical activity) that they wanted to do, then we would do it together as a family. Then my daugher who lives dancing would get in her family dance, dance Rev time, I would be able to do on family bike rides or hiking, and my son liked to play ball in the park. But the bottom line was we spent time together and my kids were encouraged to try new things.
  • MdmAcolyte
    MdmAcolyte Posts: 382 Member
    Introduce her to C25K ~ and she can take it from there. :)
  • Pitterpatter
    Pitterpatter Posts: 243 Member
    if you've checked and it's something she wants to do....buy her a good pair of running shoes, some socks and a couple of "outfits" to run in. I don't know your weather conditions or her wardrobe so the outfits might be unnecessary. Once you get the shoes and the socks, pick a time and say let's go. Seems like the best way to start for me.

    BTW, if she's not a runner - shorten your runs and go her pace to start...try the c25kprogram for her to start with. move when she's ready....

    Absolutely!! Thanks for the great advice!!!
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    I'll say it again since it seems to be getting looked past ... She Has expressed interest. She WANTS to learn.

    Her other interest is cheer. But that's a no go.

    if that's the case and you are a runner-why are you asking for advice. You know what you did to get started....
    take her shopping for some proper running shoes and go!
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    my real answer? let her pick out and buy her her own running gear and outfit to fuel her enthusiasm and infuse it with her own style thats got nothing to do with how 'mom' (sorry!) does it.

    Sometimes all a preteen needs to go gung ho about something... is the kit that it comes with.
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