I get it. You had a stressful day at work, you’ve taken care of dinner and dishes, and all you want to do is sit on the couch and get caught up on your favourite PVR’d shows. And while you’re doing that, your kids are unwinding on their phones, iPads or gaming systems.
Don’t become a statistic
Maybe you squeezed a workout in over lunch, and your kids probably got some exercise in gym class or during recess. Well, that may not be enough for you or them. Approximately 21 per cent of youth ages 12 to 17 were classified as overweight or obese according to a Statistics Canada survey in 2013*. And recently Toronto researchers+ found the amount of time a person sits during the day is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and death, regardless of regular exercise.
So that should be motivation for you to turn everything off and get outside and get active with your family. Easier said than done I know, but here’s how I did it with my now 16-year-old twin boys.
Find your shared passions
It’s a lot easier to stay active with your family when you’re interested in doing the same things. The easiest thing for my family was to draw on our passion for sport. I played all kinds of sports growing up but eventually focused on hockey, playing at the college level. With my wife and her family, it was ball. So from early on, my boys always had a stick, bat, ball or puck nearby. That’s how we kept them busy when they were little and it’s how we still do it today; the road-hockey nets and ball gloves come out as soon as the snow melts.
Make exercise social
It’s the golden age of electronics, and the draw of video games, TV and movies on their cell phones still pulls my boys to the couch, so I need to get creative at times. Now that they are of an age where they are starting to dabble in other exercises, like lifting weights, using their friends can help. Getting them together with their teammates for workouts keeps them motivated and in shape. Often, it also gets their friends’ parents involved, which can keep everyone motivated and on track—including you!
Provide an incentive
If I’m too sore from my own workout or their friends aren’t around, or they just don’t have the internal drive that day, there are other ways to motivate them—like Wi-Fi passwords. I haven’t had to do it yet, but the threat of locking them out lingers if they stay plugged in too long. If they want a few hours of Xbox after dinner and homework, or on the weekends, they have to earn it with exercise.
No matter how young or old your kids are, finding ways to be active together will help your family stay fit for life.
Here’s how Sport and Wellness employees keep their families active:
Anita De Boer, Sport and Wellness fitness and lifestyle consultant
My two boys (ages seven and three) and I keep it simple by going for walks, bike riding and going to the local playground. On really nice days, we call friends, pack a lunch and head to a spray park for a splash. The kids love it!
Carlos Martinez, Sport and Wellness aquatic instructor and lifeguard
When it’s time to pull my three boys (20, 18 and 16 years old) away from electronics, we go to the river valley to have a picnic, ride our bikes, walk the dog and play bocce or other games.
Lisa Pittet, Sport and Wellness director
In the winter, my husband and I encourage our six children (boys – 18, 12, nine and six, and girls – 21 and 11) to stay active by pulling out our cross-country skis and skates, packing a lunch and heading out to the wilderness centre for a day of outside fun. In the summer, we spend a lot of hours at the lake camping, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, tubing and water skiing.
Ryan Gurnett, Sport and Wellness graphic designer
My partner and I are always looking for ways to include our 18-month-old son in our outdoor activities. Biking to the playground or the river valley with Asher riding in a front-mounted bike seat or in the bike trailer—and soon on his balance bike—is our spring and summertime staple.
Sarah Ridley, Sport and Wellness recreation consultant
I get my kids (seven- and four-year-old boys, and one day my one-year-old daughter) to make lists of all the things they want to do (swimming at the Legislature grounds, visiting Fort Edmonton, going canoeing, joining a summer camp, etc.). We plan to do something each week, even if it’s just packing a lunch and walking a block to our neighbourhood park.
Get your kids active this summer with Jr. Griffins Summer Sport Camps.
*Statistics Canada. The Daily: Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2013.
+Sedentary Time and Its Association With Risk for Disease Incidence, Mortality, and Hospitalization in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2015.
