Search Results for: blog motivating your kids to move

Has Your Child Ever Been Injured in Gym Class?

I slammed my head and cut my lip during a high school gym class volleyball match… and I didn’t cry. In fact, I was elated by my fate because it meant that I would be afforded a week’s worth of excused absences and didn’t have to attend a class I despised. Unfortunately, injuries like my split lip are increasing at an alarming rate during physical education classes in the United States. According to a new report, injuries to American children during school gym classes increased by 150 percent from 1997 to 2007. The numbers come from 100 representative U.S. hospitals … Continue reading →

Keeping Your Kids Fit and Safe This Summer

Now that school’s out millions of kids across the nation are spending their summer days having fun on the soccer field, basketball court and in the swimming pool. While these activities are great ways to burn calories and stay in shape, they often lead to sports-related injuries such as bruises, scrapes and broken bones. In fact, a new report shows that sports-related injuries accounted for 22 percent of hospital emergency department visits for children ages 5 to 17 in 2007. If you have an active young son, then you might not be surprised by the new findings. After all, according … Continue reading →

Do Your Kids Need More Exercise?

Health experts would answer that question with a rousing “yes,” and now they have even more evidence to support their assertions. A new study found that more than half a million 4-year-olds are obese. Even more disturbing, according to researchers, is the finding that nearly a third of American Indian children are obese. The study’s lead author noted that the findings are “of major concern” among children so young given that obese individuals are at very high risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers, joint diseases and other health problems. If you are concerned that your child may be … Continue reading →

NFL Superstars Encourage Kids to Get Moving

Washington Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall made a confession before lawmakers this week: His own kids could use more exercise. The NFL star, who volunteered to promote children’s fitness legislation, admitted that like many kids their age, his sons play way too many video games and eat way too much fast food. Hall, who called childhood obesity an epidemic, is one of seven NFL players devoting their off-season to lobby lawmakers to pass the FIT Kids Act. The bill would require schools, districts and states to report on students’ physical activity, and to give children and their parents, access to important … Continue reading →

Study Shows Most Bullied Kids are Overweight

This fascinating new study reveals that overweight children are typically a bully’s prime targets. While you might not consider this “breaking news,” it is very revealing in that it shows that kids who are picked on avoid situations where they are bullied, such as gyms, playgrounds, and other sporting events. The very places children go to burn off calories. According to the study, roughly one out of every five children is chronically bullied, and in most cases repeated teasing and taunting leads to depression and loneliness. This finding coupled with the fact that bullies drive their victims away from physical … Continue reading →

Exercise Helps Overweight Kids Manage Anger Better

My gym teacher may have been ahead of her time when she ordered quarreling students to “walk off” their anger. According to a new study, exercise appears to reduce anger in overweight but otherwise healthy children. I always thought it was a bit hokey when my high school P.E. teacher would get between my feuding classmates, and instead of lecturing them about their behavior, she had them run laps around the track. Apparently she knew what she was doing. In a study conducted by the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine, exercise was shown to have a “significant impact … Continue reading →

Motivating Your Kids to Move

These days that might be tougher than finding a TV commercial that’s not politically motivated. For millions of kids the idea of putting down video game controls and picking up a bike to ride is a foreign concept. This, despite the fact that the federal government recently announced new fitness recommendations for all Americans. The guidelines stipulate at least 60 minutes a day of moderate or vigorous activity for children ages 6 to 17. Federal officials also noted that parents should be creating opportunities for their children to be physically active and encouraging them to consistently participate in those activities. … Continue reading →

Break Out of Your Fitness Rut

Fall doesn’t officially arrive until September 22nd, but there is no reason to wait another 10 days to kick-start a new exercise routine. By shifting gears and altering your weekly workout regime (even a tad), you’ll see results faster and avoid frustrating ruts and plateaus. Before diving head first into a new fitness schedule consider the following: Scenery. Mix it up a bit. A change of scenery can benefit all of us. This is especially true if you have a hard time motivating yourself to get up for that 6 a.m. jog or bike ride on a crisp (see: cold) … Continue reading →

Could a Point System Help Your Child with ADHD?

Experts are suggesting that parents of children with ADHD and other behavioral difficulties should try using a point (or credit) system for discipline and motivation. In a recent PEOPLE magazine article, I read about a special camp for children with ADHD run by Dr. Karen Fleiss. The camp gives points for good behaviors, and takes them away for less appropriate ones. Campers who achieve a certain number of points during the week are rewarded with a special Friday field trip. In the article, Dr. Fleiss says that the point system helps motivate these kids to choose the right behavior. With … Continue reading →

The Seven Intelligences: What Kind of Learner is Your Child?

Children learn in a variety of ways. This is why the traditional method of education, where a teacher lectures children as they sit facing her in rows, is often woefully inadequate. Once we discover the specific intellectual strengths our children have, we can help provide them with new, stimulating experiences that will inspire them to learn in their own ways. The Seven Intelligences There are seven different types of intelligence, as described by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner in his book, Frames of Mind. According to Gardner, we know that every child has a bit of each in different proportions. As … Continue reading →