Among the list of weight gain contributors, including fast food restaurants, too many sugary treats and loss of exercise in schools, the television is another cause of kids being too heavy. Many children spend too much time in front of the tube, when they should be involved in kids exercise.
Those children who spend more time being active and less time watching television are less likely to become overweight. Sadly, you can sometimes tell how much TV a child watches just my looking at them.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says kids should spend more time exercising and their TV time should be regulated by parents. At least 60 minutes a day should be devoted to kids exercise.
This can be a struggle for many parents, who only see their kids a few hours a day due to long hours at work. It may be hard to control what kids do when they’re home alone, but there are some rules you can enforce. Have your kids finish all their chores and homework right after school. At that point, they are allowed to watch television if they want.
Then, after dinner, exercise together as a family. You can take a walk or play together in the backyard. Once all the important tasks have been done, there’s nothing wrong with having some family viewing time before bed.
Some children really don’t like to exercise, so you have to work a little harder. Look for fun activities that your child will enjoy. Sometimes a child can be exercising and not even realize it. If you exercise together as a family, it will help tear down any self-conscious walls your child may have.
Participating in kids exercise with your child is very rewarding for the whole family. Your kids will love the extra time they get with you. Most likely, they won’t remember all the hours they spent in front of the television. But they will remember the fun things you did together as a family.
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