What do you do to make sure your - child stays active??

mckayleesmom wrote: I got to thinking about this because on the way home we passed a school and had to stop for the kids to cross..It was a middle school and about 11 students crossed the street and 8 of them were morbidly obese. Now I know that some might have health reasons and such, but it just got me to thinking about what I can do to make sure my kids stay healthy. Personally I think that video games and the junk food that is accecable to kids is out of hand these days and is a huge factor in their wieght....as well as adults. What do you do to make sure your kids stay healthy....I don't want to start to late...so far

** I make sure they get healthy snacks...cheese, apples, oranges. Sometimes fruit snacks or dried cranberries or something. I have always introduced them to many foods...even though I am really picky...I don't want them to take after me. Mckaylee will so far eat anything veggie wise.

**When it cools off outside I usually take Mckaylee outside to run through the sprinkler...ride her bike or run around with the neighbor kids.

** sometimes we go to the playground...if its just me and Mckaylee we walk to the playground....RUssell usually strolls

** I usually take 1 of the kids in the stroller for a walk if dh is home...that way they get away from the tv and toys. I don't want them to find tv and toys their only source of entertainment

** We have been really good about shutting everything off come dinner time and just eating dinner without interuptions.

mckayleesmom replied: I forgot....I also rarely buy kool Aide....I usually buy Capri Suns....but I don't know if they are any better.....but I get 4 boxes for 5 bucks at the px.....I think dh and I drink them more then Mckaylee anyways.

luvbug00 replied: Wow I'm going to look like the worst mom ever!! I HATE being outdoors where there are multiple kids with their parents and extreme weather ( heat and cold) I'm not a people person (surprised?) . So we only went to the park in the fall while the kids are in school and It's just her and me. ( arround 2:30 was the best because all the parents were off picking up their other offspring.) She hung with Nana alot so she took her to the pool. As far as food Mya is also a capri sun drinker and she loves milk and cheese and dairy products. She eats fruit and pretzels, chips happen but not often. She will eat anything we put before her. We do watch TV alot. It's on all day. ( but we honestly don't pay it much mind) Mya really is into her music so she listens and dances in her room and sings. She also has a guitar and drums and piano ( all kids size some plastic) She jams on that for hours. I'm not gonna lie she eats alot of junk that isn't healthy but not fast food. fruit snacks & sugary stuff we have at home. I think it's sad soo many kids are soo obease. I hope they find somthing to tone down the hormone or whatever for the little kids where it's a chemical imbalance thing.

ions_momma replied: Ion plays outside almost everyday if the weather is nice. He rides his bike or his scooter, runs around playing tag or whatever with other kids and jumps on the trampolien. He also goes to sports camps and things now that he is getting older. Since his dad plays college basketball, he is often at the gym playing with other kids or running around. During the summer he swims alot at a friend of our's house since they have an inground pool. He is also a pretty healthy eater. He loves fruit and eats it alot!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I think PE needs to be mandatory in all schools. I got out of PE as a teenager, but it was because I was on dance teams and cheerleading. I won't demand that my kids play sports, but I will encourage it and offer them classes at our local YMCA. And I will limit the amount of TV watched per day so that my kids will learn that outside is better. I will choose wisely when it comes to toys. Video games...we will see! I used to make tree forts and mud pies and anything imaginable outside. I would be out there for hours making up games that made you run...So I want my kids to do the same. And soda is never to be served in the house.

I ate really well throughout my whole PG and I really think it's why Wil is such a great eater. Maybe it's a myth, but I think it starts in utero. Same goes when you're BF. If you nourish your body with healthy foods, your child will most likely eat the same because they're already used to the taste.

TANNER'S MOM replied: Well this hits pretty close to home for me and Tanner.

He was always small. Never had to worry about anything. I made the mistake of having him stay with a family member one summer. She wanted him to stay in a room and watch TV all day.. It was easier for her to watch him that way. I was told later by him he only really came out of the room to eat and watch TV..

Now this was an outside kid who never watched TV before this.

He gained alot of weight that Summer. He went from 5% percentile.. to 90% for his age..

I have really had to watch his junk food now. He can get it on occasion.. I am not that mean. But he needs to exerise. We have been walking. I make him play outside a mandotory amount of time each day. Not in the heat of the sun though..lol And he has chores to do.

The number one thing I have done is no food after 7.. because he goes to bed earlier and will just sleep on his snack.

Now Tanner is not over weight. He has grown up as well as getting heavy. But, he is at risk if I let him get lazy on me.. I don't him to grow up with bad issues I helped cause..lol

I love that boy and no matter he is perfect to me..

One thing that is odd for me is I have 2 kids that are small. Tiny kids that will prob never worry about weight. Where Randy's kids.. Tiffany and Tanner are huge. Both one of the Tallest in class.. And in clothing sizes way above everyone else. Tanne is 7 and he wears a size 10-12.. but he is soo broad shouldered. Tiffany is 11 and wears Juniors or womens size 3 or 5... she has a little belly. But neither are fat... Just not the sticks that my children are.. It is just different to see that.

But we are all trying to be healthy and happyy..

redchief replied: While you have a valid concern, somehow I just don't see Mackaylee being a sedate, obese child. The pix of poor Russel sitting in the middle of the aftermath of the powder storm will be with me forever.

We always limited the kids' TV time and made sure they were involved in sport or other outdoor activities of interest. It seems to have worked out okay

Whitney&Candace'sMommy replied: Firstly if the girls want a snack I try to make sure they eat fruit or vegetables. I always have carrot sticks in the fridge, they loves having those. I don't really let them drink soda, they're more likely to ask for juice than a soda. Every night I cook at least 2 types of vegetables and dessert always contain's fruit.

I take them to the pool alot, and Whitney does little athletics. Candace come's to yogalates with me and my friends, they do a junior yogalates for the women's kids. It's not really yogalates but it's good exercise for them. And both girls love bouncing on the trampoline, so that's good exercise. I go jogging alot and I push Candace in the jogger thing, and Whitney ride's her bike. Candace will usually jog a bit but she get's pooped to quick.

I limit their T.V. Candace watches sesame street but she doesn't really watch anything else, Whitney watches a few shows but I don't like them to watch very much.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: This is my almost my favorite time of year because it won't be as hot in the evening and we can get back to playig on the swing set and going to the park. Tay loves to be outside so when it not so hot out we play outdoors as much as possible!

ediep replied: we are outside playing at the park, in the yard, or bike riding everyday if its not raining. I also think thats it really good to set a good example...DH and I both work out 4-5 times per week, sometimes more. Jason knows what exercise is and that its good for you.

mckayleesmom replied:
Im hopeing she won't, but it does run in my dads side of the family. Mckaylee looks exactly like me, but when I was her age I was a stick figure, when I got to high school I was a stick figure, then when I moved to a country town with nothing to do...I gained alot of weight. When I was young we were always outside playing, my mom would always say "go play outside, its a nice day". But now its a lot more dangerous to just let your kids go out and play without worrying,,,so I have to find stuff to do with them.

moped replied: Well right now Jack is Mr. Energy but in the years to come we have a fenced yard and Tom is hoping he will be in the PGA soon - LOL........my family has weight issues but Tom's certainly deson't, so hopefully he will follow his side.........my moms sisters and brothers are all BIG.

My mom sent us outside all day everyday but we didnt grow up eating well - I will change that for Jack

redchief replied:
You know I hadn't even thought about that. When I was a kid I roamed the town from the time I was ten and it was all good because if we got into trouble, one of the other parents in the area knew who we were and we were in deep doo-doo when we got home. AND WE KNEW IT.

Today, we hardly know who lives around the block, let alone who lives in town. We never let our kids roam around like that. There were too many worries about who or what was out there. Some changes are not good.