With the number of overweight and obese children rising up continuously in a scary pattern, comes the importance of adopting active life-style not only as an individual, but also as a whole family.
Playing sport as family and encouraging sport activities for all family members has huge benefits, starting from the individual level up to whole community level, so turn your family into a sport squad.
Why you should encourage family sporting?
Only to list some of the reasons:
1- Sport activities prevents children’s obesity or treats it, and reduces health-care costs emerging from obesity, since:
- Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.*
- In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.*
- Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults.*
- Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.*
2- It boosts psychological well-being, positive self-image and self-respect.
3- Generates teachable moments. Family sport time opens opportunities to pass good morals, ethics and positive massages.
4- Gets the family closer to each other, helps you get to know your children, what interests and concern them.
5- Reduces sickness and illness days, since sport improves immunity.
6- Improves academic and mental performance.
7- Sports develop discipline, leadership skills and social interaction.
How to Encourage Family Sporting?
1- Be a role model. Your children will learn to interact in sport activates when they see their parents passionate about sport and practicing it.
2- Start from the beginning. The sooner you start teaching your young kids involving in sports; the easier it is for them to adapt to it.
3- Make it a habit. Although finding time for family sport might be hard to do these days, but you need to do an effort in finding at least one day per week where family gathers for sporting.
4- Make it fun. Make sport time fun and pleasurable as possible.
5- Ask & discuss. Ask your kids about their favorite sport activities and discuss their opinion about different sports and teams.
6- Watch sports together. Make watching sport a family activity.
7- Give them the torch. Give them the lead in coaching and deciding sport activities for the whole family.
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