4 Ways to Encourage Your Child to Be More Active

By now, everyone knows how important exercise is for both physical and mental health. But, while adults may understand this, kids can be a little more convincing, especially with the wealth of other distractions surrounding them all day, every day. All parents want their kids to live an active lifestyle, but it’s difficult to push them in the right direction unless you know the best approach. 

Be Their Role Model 

There is no substitute for being a positive role model when it comes to inspiring your kids and encouraging them to live an active lifestyle. This is especially true when they are younger and before they have hit puberty, where nothing you do will make them happy. If they see you living an active lifestyle in their youth, they will want to replicate this. Your kids can accompany you to activities, whether this is going for walks, runs, or playing sports, and this will encourage them to follow in your footsteps. 

Give Them Options 

Many parents will want their kids to play the most popular sports such as football, basketball, or baseball. But, not all kids are interested in these sports, so you need to give them options so they aren’t turned off activity forever. Providing swimming classes or showing them that there are other activities they can do can help them find the perfect sport for them. No one wants to be forced to do anything, so being gentle with their interests while still encouraging them will give them a better chance of sticking with it, and maybe even succeeding. 

Encourage Competition 

Competition is ingrained in everyone (or at least most people), and it’s a fantastic motivator when you want to encourage your children to be more active. If they have friends or siblings, there’s a chance that they will want to be the best, and this will drive them to try their hardest during their activities. However, you need to maintain a delicate balance, and you must keep their competition healthy. No one likes a sore loser (or a sore winner), so make sure you encourage them to keep their cool and keep their head on their shoulders. You should do the same for yourself, too. 

Do It As A Family

Families that exercise together can make hundreds of happy memories that will help you stay close to one another. If motivation is a problem for some of your family, invite them to exercise together. This makes everyone accountable for one another, which helps motivate them to try their best. It also means you can spend quality time with one another while also living a healthier lifestyle. Life is bound to get in the way at some point, so you can make the most of the times you spend together, and you could even develop a special bond that makes them excited about exercising by themselves later on.

Staying Active

Although your children may complain that they don’t want to exercise or stay active, they will thank you for your it later in life. The sooner you introduce them to the range of activities that they can explore, the better they will feel, and the more healthy their lifestyle will be.