The facts on fat kids

That is the BIG question (pardon the pun). Fact is our kids are out of shape. With all of the organized soccer, swimming lessons, day camps, etc. kids are still more fat than ever. My dad sent me a great e-mail reminding me of why kids today are out of shape…well they are actually in shape if you consider that round is a shape.

Well if I look at all of us OLD folks born before 1975 we had one thing in common. We ate May Wests, white bread, real butter and bacon. Went to Harvey’s or McDonald’s. Choked down freezies like they were going out of style. Drank Kool-aid made with real white sugar…and we weren't overweight. WHY? Because we were always outside, playing...that's why! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day and we were O.K.

We did not have Playstations or X-Boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them. Parents did not have to make PLAY DATES!! For the most part, unless it’s an organized activity kids hardly move their back sides. They do however; kick their parent’s butt in a texting contest.

Research has shown that children of active parents tend to be active and healthier than those kids belonging to parents who crash on the couch right after work or log on in their free time instead of breaking a sweat.

Well no point of bringing up a problem without proposing a solution so here we go. Parents work out with your kids. It doesn’t matter if it’s throwing a Frisbee in the park or tossing some hoops. Gather some friends and their kids and organize a game of tag at the nearest park. Make it fun for the youngsters. Kids loved to be challenged. I love the old “I bet you can’t skip rope for 1 minute without messing up” or I bet you can’t run there and back 5 times in less than two minutes”. Challenge them to a jumping jack and push up contest even if you know you’re going to lose. Go to the school yard with a couple of rackets and tennis balls and play some Off the Wall (bring a few balls in case you roof one).

The bottom line is get involved. Play with your own kids the way you did with your friends back in the day. Not only will you get them off their butts but you will get yourself moving as well. Even more importantly you’ll be spending some real quality time with your kids.

Need help getting yourself or the kids off your butts? Give me a holler.