Enlightening Children to Be More Physically Active
Trying to promote health and fitness among children today is a
very sensitive subject, even as the country is facing a possibly
crippling childhood obesity epidemic. Many children would rather spend
their time indoors watching TV or surfing the web on their smartphones
or internet-connected devices. The rapid growth of the internet and
social media in our culture has made it easier for our youth to remain
in contact with their friends without needing to go outside. The
appreciation for having a healthy life has slowly been vanishing from
their lives. A lot of young people today are misinformed in thinking
that being physically fit means having to do physically strenuous
activities.
While it's easy to blame this on technology, even the parents can be held a little responsible for this. As they are so busy working, they hardly have enough time to properly interact with their children and encourage them to take their health and well-being more seriously. More often than not, they too are more than happy to sit and spend all their free time in front of the TV. This actually has a negative effect on their children, who are very impressionable and run the risk of emulating their parents' behavior.
The best way for us to help today's young people is by encouraging them to take up new physical activities with their friends. Keeping a social aspect in their exercise will dramatically lessen the burden of picking up a new habit. Having already mentioned how impressionable children are, they will be more likely to want to join a new club or activity if their friends are already involved.
Several after-school programs such as Girls on the Run have started to pop around the country in order to encourage younger people to live a happier and healthier life. Several of these programs focus on more important underlying issues through sports and physical activities.
Through sports they can learn many important life skills such as teamwork, fair play, respect for those around you. Girls on the Run, for examples, encourages young girls to be more confident and empowered through running.
Many young people today are missing out on the chance to build on life skills and values that will help shape their adult lives. Children enrolled in sports or who are otherwise physically active have generally become more well-adjusted adults. Thirteen of our last nineteen presidents, 95% of Fortune 500 executives and the vast majority of our astronauts have participated in athletics or remain active through some athletic hobby. Children who miss out on sports are missing out on a lot more than a healthy lifestyle, they risk missing out on the chance of a promising future.
While it's easy to blame this on technology, even the parents can be held a little responsible for this. As they are so busy working, they hardly have enough time to properly interact with their children and encourage them to take their health and well-being more seriously. More often than not, they too are more than happy to sit and spend all their free time in front of the TV. This actually has a negative effect on their children, who are very impressionable and run the risk of emulating their parents' behavior.
The best way for us to help today's young people is by encouraging them to take up new physical activities with their friends. Keeping a social aspect in their exercise will dramatically lessen the burden of picking up a new habit. Having already mentioned how impressionable children are, they will be more likely to want to join a new club or activity if their friends are already involved.
Several after-school programs such as Girls on the Run have started to pop around the country in order to encourage younger people to live a happier and healthier life. Several of these programs focus on more important underlying issues through sports and physical activities.
Through sports they can learn many important life skills such as teamwork, fair play, respect for those around you. Girls on the Run, for examples, encourages young girls to be more confident and empowered through running.
Many young people today are missing out on the chance to build on life skills and values that will help shape their adult lives. Children enrolled in sports or who are otherwise physically active have generally become more well-adjusted adults. Thirteen of our last nineteen presidents, 95% of Fortune 500 executives and the vast majority of our astronauts have participated in athletics or remain active through some athletic hobby. Children who miss out on sports are missing out on a lot more than a healthy lifestyle, they risk missing out on the chance of a promising future.
The author Daniel Ashworth has discussed about the significance
of trophies and medals, and how they play a vital role in encouraging
the participant to perform better and emerge victorious. Girls on the Run and plaques and their significance have been highlighted in this article.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Ashworth
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