This newfangled parent lark is a tough one, right? There are so many decisions and responsibilities to make, and it’s important to know that you are choosing the right path for your kids. The thing is, there is no right or wrong answer, and there is no rule book because each parent is different and each child is different. So it comes down to the individual decisions you decide to make as a parent.
One of the big questions that plague parents is “Should I get my kids to workout?” Seems like a fairly trivial question to ask, right? Well, it’s actually pretty important in their development and has plenty of positives and negatives. We’re going to look at a couple of points from each side, to balance the scales, and then you will be in a better position to make up your own mind.
Yes – it’s important for kids to be healthy
Kids need to stay fit and healthy, and having them workout is a great way of ensuring this. It’s essential that we take steps from a young age to combat childhood obesity, and do as much as possible to help with this. Getting your children working out is a good way of achieving this, and will help keep the kids in shape, and get them fit and healthy. There are gyms these days that are offering child memberships as well, so this is even easier than it was before.
No – we don’t want image obsessed children
There is already enough of a problem with teenagers being obsessed with superficial things like image and looks, and Instagram hardly helps with this. The last thing we want is children going down the same path. By encouraging children to workout, there is a very real risk that you will start to make them overly body conscious and obsessed with their appearance. If you are going to encourage them to work out, make sure you are careful with it.
Yes – teaches commitment and discipline
Another huge advantage of encouraging your kids to workout is that it helps them to develop and improve other skills, such as commitment and discipline. These are two things that are going to be crucial to your children throughout their lives, and the sooner they learn them, the better. Working out encourages your children to set and accomplish goals, as well as committing to something long term, and sticking with it.
No – there are healthier alternatives
Whatever benefits a child could get from going to the gym, they will also be able to get from other places. Playing sport, for instance, would be a much more beneficial use of their time. Not to mention the fact that it is healthier – too much working out at too young an age can have a negative impact on mind and body. If possible try to come up with other ways of helping your children exercise and get fitter.
As you can see, there are reasons for and against doing this, and you need to decide what is best for you. There are a lot of different ways you can and should get your kids exercising, and whether you feel workouts are the best solution is entirely up to you. There is a lot involved in the process of keeping kids fit and healthy, and you need to decide if this is the right approach for you.