Published: Monday, 4 May 2009
We’ve been hearing the frightening statistics about childhood obesity for years. Today’s kids are fatter, more sedentary, and exhibiting early signs of health-related conditions that normally afflict adults, like diabetes and heart disease. My work in elementary schools across the country makes me a first-hand witness to this alarming trend. But even I was shocked to learn the latest research in children’s health: Almost 1 in 5 American 4 year-olds is obese. (Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2009)
Published: Monday, 27 April 2009
Years ago I was approached by a parenting magazine to contribute to an article on playground workouts for moms. I remember I had to actually seek out a playground in my neighborhood to do a little research. Now, as the mother of an active three-year-old boy, I have the routes to dozens of parks in the city memorized. I’ve happily joined the mom club. And when my little guy is busy with his pals zipping down the slide and playing in the sand, I do what active moms do—I sneak in a workout of my own.
Published: Monday, 20 April 2009
We all know it is important to teach children how to be good citizens of the earth. There are a multitude of web sites and books available that list easy ways kids can get involved with conservation, recycling, and green living. Many of today’s kids are more eco-savvy than their parents—little activists, in fact. In keeping with the theme of The Fit Family, I’d like to expand the meaning of “active” in “activist” to include a little extra activity—the kind that gets your heart beating and your muscles flexing. The following ideas help kids
Published: Monday, 13 April 2009
The daffodils are blooming, the snow is melting, and the sun is shining. Mother Nature is serving up an invitation to enjoy the outdoors. Spring is the perfect time of year to implement a walking program into your child’s school. Of course, in places with mild climates like southern California, any time of year is a good time to promote walking. But in parts of the country where winter is long and cold, kids will jump at the chance to be outdoors at the first sign of spring.
Published: Monday, 6 April 2009
For many adults, the first sign of Spring means allergies, spring cleaning, and mere months to get beach-ready. But for kids, springtime is bunnies, butterflies, flowers, and outdoor fun. Here are a few ways to combine those idyllic sentiments with healthy activity.
Published: Monday, 30 March 2009
Today’s fathers play a bigger role in their kids’ care and day-to-day lives than ever before. But let’s face it, in most families, it’s mom who knows when to schedule the next pediatrician appointment, where the missing toy is located, and how to best calm a tantrum. Even if all three of these things happen at once, it’s no problem, we’re masters at multi-tasking. Moms are also, in most cases, the nurturers—we’re the go-to-gal when boo-boos need kissing and feelings are wounded. But busy moms need to take time to mother themselves. Whether
Published: Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Yoga is becoming a powerful tool in our goal to raise calm, well-balanced, and socially aware children. Most people are already sold on the physiological benefits of yoga—improvements in posture, flexibility, strength, and endurance. But it’s yoga’s often overlooked cognitive/social/psychological benefits that read like a parent’s or schoolteacher’s dream. Kids who practice yoga on a regular basis show improvements in:
Published: Monday, 16 March 2009
I recently was a presenter at a 5th grade Science Fair alongside professional astronomers, engineers, and physicists. My high school science teachers would have never predicted this. I struggled to pass my science classes and it wasn’t until I studied fitness as an adult that I became interested in biology. But as the pint-sized budding scientists filtered through my exhibit on muscles that evening, I was inspired by their thirst for knowledge. These were kids who could have stayed home that night to watch TV or play video games, but instead were back at school to learn more.
Published: Monday, 9 March 2009
Perhaps we’ve been inspired by television shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance? Or could it be we’ve been aspiring dancers all along? Either way, dancing hasn’t been this popular since the days of disco. The American Council on Exercise has deemed dance-based classes as one of the hottest trends in fitness programming for 2009. So it’s no surprise Zumba classes are popping up around the nation, inspiring people to shimmy and shake their way to a healthier mind and body.
Published: Monday, 2 March 2009
In Part 1 of Family Flexibility, we explored stretching exercises targeting the major muscle groups. The goal of flexibility training is to maintain healthy mobility throughout daily life. I often like to incorporate partner stretches into the Family Workouts I lead in elementary schools. Not only does it add a fun twist to the cool-down segment, partner stretching teaches kids to be in tune to the needs of others. After all, kids will have to listen to their
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