Posts Tagged ‘childhood obesity’

Structured Class Time Leads To Structured Play Time With Gymnastics

When it comes to educating children, everyone seems to have a very strong opinion about how it should be done. However, there are different opinions on certain aspects of education. For example, the amount of free time children should be given (both in and outside of school). While some parents make sure their children’s agenda is full of interesting activities, and complain about long school breaks that -in their point of view- are just a waste of valuable learning time, others believe the free time is as important as class time, and believe classes are too structured. With gymnastics, structured gymnastics classes inside the gym lead to structured playtime at home.

The truth is that structured class time leads to structured playtime: some children today are used to receiving instructions, even for playing games, and find quite difficult to play freely. On the other hand, unless they are given certain amount of free time, there is little time that they develop their creativity and imagination. Gymnastics is a sports that teaches discipline, trusting your body, and structure which helps children stay focused and regimented as they grow into adulthood at home.

Parents who support cutting break time in favor of structured activities believe it is the way out of childhood obesity. While some children spend most of the break time running, playing ball, climbing the monkey bars or chasing each other, other children do not interact with the rest, they will just sit alone and eat snacks. A structured game, some parents claim, will make these children move, interact with their pairs and take part in the organized games. Gymnastics classes are designed to include many different types of stretching, agility, and disciplined movement. They include interaction with other students while teaching children to trust themselves as well as the drills they practice.

However, we may wonder if this kind of activity will encourage another kind of learning, which is undoubtedly significant: social interaction. Is structured gymnastics the best way to build strong friendships? Quite on the contrary, when kids partake in gymnastics, they usually experience a sport based on discipline and individual achievement. The best programs offer classes and lessons designed in a way that encourages regimented activity while maintaining focus and attention. Whether in a teamwork setting or as an individual, the value comes from the attention given by the student, not the attention paid by the instructor. Teamwork is not always given its true value. And even in team sports, children do not usually choose their buddies because of their personality, but on their physical ability.

Outside school, things are quite similar: parents today are always busy, not everyone can afford a nanny and children can’t be left on their own. The solution for some families is keeping their children as tied up as possible: tennis lessons on Mondays and Thursdays, karate every Tuesday, art workshop on Wednesday, piano lessons on Friday… Free time looks like a waste of time. However, anxiety and stress symptoms can develop in these overwhelmed children who just need some time on their own.

What if children get bored? Well, is it so terrible after all? Children need to get bored from time to time. It is the only way they’ll make use of their imagination and develop their creativity by inventing their own games. Of course every child needs a routine in order to accomplish security. Every teacher knows that telling their students beforehand what they are facing leads to a better behavior. Every mom and every dad know that children sleep better if they always are put to bed on the clock. Even so, a certain amount of free time should also be on the schedule. A gymnastics Columbus program pays close attention to all of these disciplinary factors. Putting your child in a gymnastics program puts your child ahead of the learning curve because it makes structured class time the most important trait.

Simple and Easy Ways to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Current research shows that approximately 300 million people are obese and 5% of these people are children. Similar to adults, obesity causes several health risks and can decrease your child’s life expectancy. Obese children have a higher probability of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and severe emotional distress and trauma. Childhood obesity prevention is very important and can ultimately save your child’s life.There are several factors that could cause your child to become obese. Many people assume that both adults and children that are overweight or obese are lazy and eat too much. Although these factors can lead to obesity, they are not the only culprits. Obesity can be caused by genetics, illness and even emotional trauma. Some children begin to suffer weight issues after their parents get a divorce or they suffer the loss of a loved one. You should monitor your child’s behavior after any traumatic event to ensure your child is dealing with their emotions properly.Preventing childhood obesity does not have to be difficult. Here is a list of 4 simple and easy ways to prevent your child from becoming obese.1. BreastfeedingBreastfeeding is the best way to prevent not only childhood obesity but also other disorders like asthma. A mother’s milk is full of nutrients and is high in protein which can help establish a well-balanced metabolic rate for your child. If your child has a high metabolic rate, they are less likely to suffer from weight issues. However, if you did not breastfeed your child, you should not blame yourself for your child’s weight issues. Breastfeeding is only one piece to this very large puzzle.2. Caloric intakeGenerally, weight issues stem from eating more calories than your body expends. You should avoid giving your child high-calorie junk foods that contain excessive amounts of fats and sugar. You should substitute these with healthy, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. If your child is slightly overweight, you should also monitor and track all the food that your child eats. This can help you and your doctor determine the proper course of action to prevent any weight issues from getting worse.3. ExerciseYou should get your child in the habit of doing consistent exercise. Obviously, you should speak with your doctor before starting your child on any exercise regimen because their muscles and bones are still developing. You do not want to hinder your child’s overall growth. Keep exercise fun; therefore, make sure it is age appropriate. A child may not want to do an hour on the Stair Master and they really should not. It may be too much for their heart and lungs to handle. If you find age appropriate exercises, your child is more likely to stay consistent and enjoy being an active individual.4. Limit access to the television and computerYou should limit the amount of time your child spends in front of the television or computer. Research has proven that children that spend more time watching television or surfing the internet are more likely to become overweight and obese.Preventing your child from becoming obese is extremely important and very simple. Children are very resilient and will to respond to changes fairly quickly.

Preventing Childhood Obesity Before It Starts

Thanks to a large number of responsible parents getting to know more about the dangers of childhood obesity, – an epidemic which is growing out of all proportions,- they are looking for ways of preventing childhood obesity before it starts. Now what is childhood obesity? Is your child overweight? Is he in the habit of eating food which is definitely not very healthy for him? Is he pudgy and lethargic? Does he spend most of his time scrunched up in front of the TV because he has no energy to go out and play with his friends? Can you consider him to be definitely not healthy but fat? If you can answer “yes” to the last question, it means that you already know all about childhood obesity and are looking for ways and means to tackle it.Prevention is better than cure and it is easier for you to make sure that your child does not grow fat and flabby, rather than getting him to lose weight after you have stuffed him up like a Thanksgiving turkey. A happy, healthy, normal child is going to be physically active, will enjoy eating everything which is put in front of him, including fresh fruit and vegetables, cereals, food items made with olive oil, beans and legumes. A bored child may indulge in eating just because he has nothing constructive to do. Some children cannot resist stretching out their hands for a fatty snack while watching TV. Not only are they destroying their state of good health and well-being, but this sedentary lifestyle is going to make them put on weight really fast. So remember that it depends upon the parents to know all about preventing childhood obesity before it starts. As long as the child imitates its parents and eats healthy, enjoys plenty of exercise in the fresh air, does not mind snacking off fruits, seeds, vegetables and nuts and does not indulge in processed foods, soy products, or junk food with fructose, and other chemical preservatives there is little or no chance of his ever growing fat and pudgy.A number of children indulge in comfort food eating (binging), if they are suffering from any sort of emotional upheaval or stress. So if your normally happy child acts withdrawn and starts eating you as a responsible parent would want to know all about his emotional state. The main reason why children indulge in comfort eating is because he is not capable of handling those emotional problems. So he is trying his best to make them disappear through overeating.If obesity is not a genetic condition in your family, there is no question about your not being able to prevent it in your child. However, if both parents and grandparents are comfortably stout, a child may have a predisposition towards obesity. However, even in such cases, the weight gain can be controlled through lots of exercise and lots of healthy food. So starting from today, make sure that your child does not come under the obese category ever, by using these helpful tips!