Finding time to work out is a challenge, especially for busy parents. With our demanding schedules that include work, family commitments, sporting events, and so much more, how do we find the time to exercise? That’s why working out as a family is so perfect! One of the best ways to get and stay active is to do it with your family!
Keeping our children active is critical for their development. Childhood obesity is on the rise therefore keeping kids from developing a sedentary lifestyle is valuable not only for their physical health but mental as well. Physically active kids tend to be more confident, do better at school, and adapt more easily in social settings. The best part is while they’re getting fit, so are you! Working out together builds a stronger family unit and respect for one another.
Here are my tips to working out as a family and keeping it fun!
Take off the Trainer/Coach hat.
I can’t stress enough how important it is for parents to not critique, correct, or judge their kids when working out. While you train with your kids, you’ll likely see them perform exercises with poor form, struggle with coordination and balance, goof off, and get frustrated because they can’t perform the movement. Your initial response will be to correct them, but I caution you on taking this approach. Kids tend to shut down when they’re being judged and excel when they’re given positive feedback. When you see them performing an exercise wrong, try to focus on the things they’re doing well and speak to that. Remember, kids learn through observation. So, if you’re performing the movement together with them, they’ll eventually catch on. Therefore, instead of speaking to corrections, show them.
Whether you make it to the gym or not is irrelevant.
What’s important is if you do want to work out, you have the right gear. The last thing you want is avoiding a workout because you don’t have the right shoes or a sports bra. Most people find it’s easier to stay active on vacation because they walk or bike to places rather than drive. They want to explore the city, and it’s much easier to do this when you have the right shoes.
Make a game of it.
Having fun with fitness is easy when you make a game out of it. Instead of a typical, boring workout like sprint drills, play a game of tag! One partner runs a course, grabs an item and must return it to their partner before the partner can make their run. When both items are returned to the starting line, the first set of sprint drills is done. To make it even more challenging, put a time limit on the run. Also, remember to get your kids involved with the planning process. Who better to make a game out of the workout but our creative, imaginative kids? Ask them what they enjoy and encourage them to create a workout for the family. They will love the responsibility and take ownership, plus they get to kick our butts for once!
Let them fail and allow them to see you fail.
Watching our kids fail is never easy but it’s so important they do. They need to know what it feels like to try something, struggle, and fail. When working out with them, let them try the challenging moves. This is a good opportunity to talk about the power of struggle. Allow them to watch you try and fail as well. Show them that you struggle too, but remind them it’s a necessary process because without failure you don’t know how to improve.
Make it a priority.
I recommend putting family workout time on your calendar and dedicating that time as ‘do not disturb’. We live in a demanding world, therefore it’s critical we make time for the things that matter. Thirty minutes to 1 hour of family fitness should be an untouchable time where there are no distractions like business calls, texts, emails, or social media. Family fitness is about spending quality time with the people that mean the most. When your kids see that you make fitness and them a priority, they understand the value of both family and health.
As you think about how to incorporate fitness into your family structure, remember to get your kids involved. Listen to them and create activities based on their interests and ideas. Don’t take it too seriously and remember that getting everyone together is the goal, everything else is a bonus!
Nidaa Hossenlopp is a Personal Trainer and creator of Trufitness with Nidaa. She is a wife, mother of 2, and dedicated to educating women and men about the benefits of exercise for the mind, body and soul. For more health and fitness ideas or questions about your fitness journey, contact her at trufitnesswithnidaa@gmail.com
