Eat Right, Stay Fit

I recall as a small child going outside to play with friends and neighbors
from morning til night. Often I would even skip meals because I wanted to
continue whatever activity I was engrossed in at the time.

However, nowadays our surroundings and situations have changed so much that
parents can no longer trust that children playing outside will be safe without
supervision.

Each week, my three-year-old and I attend a children's gymnastics class at a
local fitness center. My son absolutely loves this class, and it's his
hands-down favorite of all the activities we do together. He looks forward to
going to gymnastics every week and asks almost daily if today is the day he gets
to go to class.

I am thrilled that he enjoys this activity so much. He gets to play and be
active while learning to pay attention to his instructors, follow simple
directions, and develop his agility and balance. And as we participate in this
activity each week, I've gotten to thinking about other low-cost ways to support
our children in being more active in their daily lives:

• Make family time an activity time.
  
• Consider walking or biking to do errands instead of always taking the car.
  
• Find local hiking trails to enjoy with your children.
  
• Join a group that focuses on physical activity, such as the YMCA or a hiking
  club.
  
• Invite one of your children's friends to participate in your next activity.
  

Remember to make activity fun for your children and, as a parent, be your
children's role model by keeping active yourself.