Become an active parent, get yourself in shape
As an active parent and fitness professional, an observation I’ve made is the inability of parents to get actively involved with their own kids. When it comes to simple activities like kick the kick or simple bike ride around the park. Or just joining in on the fun at the local playground. It seems to me that parents these days are too busy checking in their Meta status, playing games on their phones or not showing any interest.
As a result, missing out on valuable parenting time. Take action now and start to become an active parent. The kids will take your lead and follow. Set the example. And most importantly interacting with their kids. While not becoming a total exercise junkie. Be the active parent who is involved with their kids’ activities, gets out and about and shares their time.
I understand that sometimes this might not work out for all at some stages.
Getting involved in activities
How about taking a more proactive effort into your own personal health and incorporate a fitness regime. Making it work around the kids while creating an opportunity to fit in a training session or two. With almost two-thirds of Australians are overweight, including one in four children. It’s about time you stopped being a spectator and let the kid having all the fun. Go ahead, join in and get that base fitness up, you’ll be surprised what you can achieve.
What I’m not suggesting is to go out and play hard and hurt yourself. I’m asking for you to at least have the ability to simply move around. Have a base fitness level to keep up. And a well-conditioned body allowing you not to be sore. Become an active parent and work on being mobile and pain free.
Seriously you shouldn’t be sore after just playing with you kids. Getting yourself fit doesn’t mean you need to look like a fitness cover model. And move like an elite AFL player, would be great though. It simply means being able have a body that is able to obtain a reasonable amount of fitness, some strength and good movement. You might end up having a good time.
A couple of ways that you can find the time to get some exercise in. Get the kids involved, kids they copy what we do. The old saying “monkey sees monkey do” rings true. So go out and get moving as a family should.
Tips to become an active parent
Make use of spare time
While the little ones are participating in say Gymnastics, Swimming, or Martial arts. Why don’t you use this opportunity to go out for a walk? Time it so that you get back a little sooner and still be able to spectate the kids. In my experience the little ones won’t mind if their parents are also exercising. Why let them get all the benefits. Just like with them you’re exercising.
Take them out to park/playground
What about when you take them to the park, you do take them don’t you? Active kids love that. Get involved, don’t be the parent who sits there ignoring their kids. Go ahead and join in, even if it’s just too initially stretch out. Use to the equipment. Help them out. Kids have always enjoyed the playground.
Walk when you can
As simple as it sounds for most even having the desire or energy to walk is hard. So how about taking the time to walk up to the shops for small items. To the local park or any other regular location nearby. Take the time out and get that 30minutes in, too easy. If cold put a jacket on, if it’s a light rain grab an Umbrella. Get out and walk. Give the 5-minute drive a miss. Walk it.
Become an active parent who runs or rides while kids join in
Take the little ones out for a bike ride while you run. My personal favourite is where my wife gets to go out at her pace. With my 12-year-old daughter riding beside her. They cover anything from 5-12klms depending on her plans. This would depend on you getting better at running and fitting in some direct exercise time with the kids.
Running on an oval
This activity can be a beginner’s guide to getting out and enjoying the benefits of running. How? Simple. Start off with a few meters of running then walk for a while and repeat. Find a footie oval. Practice running for about 100 meters and walk for another 200 then repeat for about 3-5 laps. From there you’ll start managing it a bit more seriously and run half, walk a quarter and repeat. All of a sudden you are knocking of laps of the oval in no time. The kids can join in by playing ball sport in the middle of the ground while you keep an eye on them and them on you.
This might seem like hard exercise. But if you start with short runs at a low intensity, I’m sure you’ll get here. Generally, kids don’t see this as exercise, the just want to go for a ride with a parent.
Firstly, the benefits of exercise are many and can only be positive if you partake in the many activities available. Do it for the health of your family, Your children’s, your spouse’s or your own. It’s about time you got moving, it’s never too late to become an active parent.
Secondly, too many kids and adults these days in my opinion are wasting their time in playing mindless games. On their home entertaining systems, handheld video games now sadly on their mobile devices. This approach to parenting creates bad habits that your kids will follow.
Lastly, take control and get them off the games and spend time with them.
