Don’t just watch your kids play… Join them!!

Do you ever “race to the tree” with your kids? Build Sandcastles?  Play tag?  Run through the sprinklers? Swing on the swings? Slide down the slides?  Hike around the neighborhood?  Jump on the trampoline? If not, you could be missing out on one of the  most fun ways to get in shape!

Some moms think they are too old for this stuff,  and just set their kids loose while they sit and watch to make sure they don’t kill themselves. But why sit around when you can join them?  Playing with your kids can be one of the toughest cardio workouts there are!   It is not only a great stress reducer, but it is vital in developing a bond with your child.

When parents set aside time to play with their children, the child feels special and knows that he/she is loved.  Children yearn for one-on-one time with their parents, and very often parents with a “I’m too busy” attitude often leave their children with feelings of abandonment.   Meanwhile, kids who feel important and loved, have more self confidence and perform better in school, studies have proven.

Keeping up with your kids can be hard.  Especially if you children are full of energy and you are overworked and tired!  Years ago, my daughter bought home this “workout with Barbie” video.  I thought to myself, “how hard can a workout tape, designed for an 8 year old, be?” (Especially since I go to the gym at least three times a week.)  I was wrong! Kids have more energy and stamina than anyone, and this video had us both jumping up and down non stop doing challenging dance moves.  The first few times, I could hardly keep up with my daughter, but was having a blast trying!  

Exercise is good for kids, and you can set the example!  Don’t leave the babysitting to the TV. Get out there and have some fun this summer!