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by Greg Simmons
Personal time is often sacrificed when balancing a career and family. That personal time is often the time which you could use to workout. Time management is about structure; incorporate that with a bit of creativity and a whole lot of fun and the result will be a healthy, happy family. Read over these strategies to get yourself active and inspire your kids to perspire.
- Get Involved: Volunteer to help with your child’s sports team, youth group, dance or martial arts class (fundraiser, coach, asst coach)
- Year-Round Activities Take advantage of every day and every season.
Winter-skiing, tobogganing,skating, snow shoveling and snow forts
Fall- hiking, raking leaves, road hockey
Summer-swimming, basketball,camping
Spring-soccer,cycling,fly a kite
- Pack’n’Go Include the Children in your activities
-Babies, Toddlers: hiking- Back pack carrier, cycling-Bike trailer or child seat, Jogging/walking- jogger stroller
- School Age Children:Jog beside your child on their bicycle cycle/hike/inline skate etc with older children
-Adolescents:Challenge to a game of one on one, invite them along for an outdoor game.
- Smart Activity-Incorporate exercise and education. Games need to be age appropriate.Nature hikes; I spy, identify plants animals or scavenger hunts. Shoot a game of 21(basketball) and incorporate studying (get a basket for 2 points, and answer a question 4x4 or the capital of Nova Scotia etc and you get a bonus point).Limited only by your imagination.
- Time Share Child Care-take turns watching neighbour's or friend's children and get them involved in activity, active game or sport. When it’s your turn to leave your kids, workout differently then if your children were with you. Go to the gym or a fitness class.
- Gift of Health-Give gifts to your kids that promote activity- registration for swimming, new bike, ball glove, skate board etc.
- Solo Time- When the kids are in an organized activity, take advantage of this time and go for a walk, go to the gym etc.
- Join a gym with child care-Many facilities have child care while you workout, some have Junior memberships, others have facilities for all ages-skating, swimming fitness. Join a facility that best suits your family.
- Brain Food - Combine nutrition, food preparation and education. Teach your children about healthy eating by giving them a role when making meals. Explain to them the nutritional contents of food or how to read food labels. (You might learn a few things yourself.)
- Video Fit-Exercise with your kids to fitness videos, Yoga, Dance etc When they are younger they may just watch but as they get older they will want to do it just like Mom or Dad.
We too often expect our children to “act their age” (older). They have it right and parents could learn a lesson by not acting their age but turning back the clock and remembering how much fun being a kid can be. Increased activity and more time spent together as a family will reward all involved. Living a healthy lifestyle is a lesson parents must take responsibility for and what better way then leading by example.