“45 % of all parents feel they don’t have time to play with their children” (IKEA)

“73% of all children think it’s more fun to play with their parents than watch TV”.

I often hear parents say that their kids watch too much television. Now you know that YOU are the secret weapon to get your kids active! As difficult as it might seem, make yourself drop the chores and play with your kids. Play a game, go for a walk, to the park, bike riding, do silly dancing to music, cook together, so many possibilities! Take time to be a kid again – with your kids.

Every time you stop to play with your kids you make memories, increase the bond between you, and increase their self-esteem. You demonstrate that they are important to you by making time for them. There is no more powerful message than your time and attention!

My own kids are grown now and some of the best memories they have are of the endless hours we spent playing together, and we did lots of it. I often had to swallow my guilt for not cooking a gourmet meal, for neglecting the laundry, or other household chores. My inclination is always to put work and chores first. But, somehow it did all get done despite me feeling like a slacker for going out to play.

As a Mom who is now looking back, I can tell you that you’ll never regret time spent playing with your children. You will NEVER say, “I should have done the chores instead”! So, for those type “A” personalities (of which I am one), remember that right now your work is play and don’t feel guilty. Go outside and have a good time!

By Marla Montbriand

This past weekend, my 2 nieces stayed the night at my house. Somewhere between going to Gymco’s Princess Party Saturday night, watching “All Dogs Go To Heaven”, and going to church with them on Sunday morning, I learned something very important from them. This may sound crazy that I, a 24 year old girl, learned something from my 8 year old and 5 year old nieces but once you read this, hopefully your eyes will be opened to the same thing next time you’re with young children.

Have you ever noticed that society today has specific expectations for adults? Most of the time, we are expected to be professional and sophisticated human beings. Children on the other hand, are goofy, imaginative, and careless souls. Why can’t we be? Why can’t we pick our wedgies while waiting in line at the grocery store? Why can’t we pretend we are beauty queens posing in front of store windows as we pass by, completely unaware of any onlookers? At what point did we make this transition into self-awareness, where we are conscious of what we do and how others perceive it? My 5 year old niece, for example, made a video on my computer this past weekend, where she acted like a total goof-ball and was completely content in doing so. She simply spoke her mind and let her imagination run wild. Sometimes, while at Gymco, I’ll ask my students to make up a story to go along with whatever we are working on that day and they are always so good at it. To be completely honest, they have better imaginations than I do! Whether we end up pretending we are Mario and Luigi saving Princess Peach from Bowser’s castle or simply trying not to fall off the balance beams into the burning hot lava, they have a blast and do not care if they look silly doing it.

Not only do kids have great imaginations and not care what others may think, but they observe and watch the things taking place around them without casting any judgment. For instance, last week I had a 3 year old completely undress just to go potty. This was outside of the bathroom stall with other little girls all around and not one of them even acknowledged that their classmate was naked! Their one goal is to enjoy themselves, whether it’s swinging on the rope swing over and over again or running into mommy and daddy’s arms when they pick them up from an awesome day of Discovery Preschool.

Maybe it is time for us to be living with the same pursuit in life. We should be able to enjoy ourselves and let our imaginations run wild without worrying what those around us will think and without casting judgment on those we encounter day to day that don’t live up to “society’s expectations”. Now, don’t go around picking your wedgies in the grocery stores, people. However, I think there is something to be said about still using our imaginations and being carefree, even if it means getting a few awkward stares every once in awhile! 

Go on now go walk out the door
Just turn around now
’cause your backpack’s on the kitchen floor
weren’t you supposed to bring one toy for show and tell
We’d better hurry
It’s almost quarter to 9
Oh no, not I
I will survive
as long as i know that you’re safe
I know I will stay alive
I’ve got all my life to live
I’ve got all my love to give
and I’ll survive
I will survive

It took all the time I had
To hear about your day
kept trying hard to mend
the pieces of your broken English
and I spent oh so many nights
feeling sorry for leavin’ while you cried
But you are strong
So you hold your head up high
Three hours later
You’ll see me
It’s time to go
I see you’ve had a wonderful day
What’s that in your hand
You wrote your name on your own
On the fridge it will have to go
I’m so very glad you showed me
How to be strong 

Oh yes I
I will survive
as long as i know that you’re safe
I know I will stay alive
I’ve got all my life to live
I’ve got all my love to give
and I’ll survive
I will survive

 From the moment he enters the gym in the morning, Isaac’s presences lights up the room. Starting his day at preschool with a full speed run and open arms, he yells out each teacher’s name as if he has not seen us in a month and then gives an arms-wrapped-all-the-way-around-you hug that immediately makes me feel happy. As a painfully shy person, I have trouble sometimes to have the confidence to even greet people. It has taken a preschooler to remind me of how important it is to acknowledge every person’s  presence with a simple, but genuine “hello.” Isaac says it so sweet and sincere. Each time he enters the room, he makes sure to say, “Hi guys, Isaac!”Just yesterday we had a prospect for a new teacher join us in preschool. Within a few minutes of meeting her, Isaac had made his way into her lap and gave her a few kisses on the cheek. It does not matter how well Isaac knows someone, he is ready and willing to show love. He has been known to give other preschoolers’ parents hugs or gently touch his classmate’s baby brother or sister and say, “baby!” in an excited yet delicate voice.

 The most noticeable quality of this blond spiky hair boy with blue eyes is the way he commandeers everyone’s attention. Whether he is on a chair with the bottoms of his feet pressed against his ears (you should definitely give this a try) while making funny faces, taking his shirt off and running around (note to parents: we do tell him he has to put his shirt back on right away. But I guarantee if you ever saw him do this, you would be laughing too), or whatever other antics he can come up with to make others laugh. Another characteristic of his that demands recognition is his energetic spirit  and his innate attitude to live life to the fullest. Finding the highest block he can, Isaac stands up and jumps off without hesitation. He loves to swing on anything he can – the rope, the stretch band- he runs as fast as he can, leaps through the air, grabs a hold and swings. In my writing, I cannot do this little boy justice to how full of life he is and how he never stops finding something fun and new to do.

 No, I do not think Isaac is the perfect child. His Down Syndrome causes him to struggle with speech which in turn can make him very angry when he cannot communicate effectively what he wants. It is difficult for young children to understand  why Isaac does not always do what he is supposed to and even though we try to explain that there are differences with Isaac, it is easy for them to label him as “bad” in their “black and white” minds. Isaac does not and will not have an easy life,but he rises above the struggle and that is what I admire most about him.

I don’t know about you, but none of those sizes would fit me very well. This is the case with most bikes, they have very small bikes and very large bikes, but not all of the parts and pieces are adjustable. Sure you can move the seat up and down and sometimes the handle bars, but it never seems to fit just right. Most often in these cases, parents choose to buy a bike that the child can grow in to. This way, the child does not even need to touch the ground when they start riding with training wheels. How long will it take your child to grow into that bike, who knows? For some children it is a year, for others it is much longer. In the mean time, they continue to ride with training wheels. When the parent takes the training wheels off, the child has a difficult time riding their bike without them.

I know this because I am one of the many parents that has done this. When my daughter Breana was ready to move up to a larger bike, we chose to get a bike she could grow into. I also didn’t realize that the bike was far too heavy for her to pick up on her own. After several years of riding with training wheels, we attempted to teach her to ride without; and she was nervous, wobbly and very frustrated. It took several miles of running beside her and until she was 8 years old, before she felt confident enough to ride on her own. When first learning to ride; a child should be able to:

• Touch the ground flat footed when sitting on the seat;
• Lift the bike from the ground up.

Remember, this may take some practice.

Training wheels are great for teaching a child how to pedal, they may even help some children learn to ride independently. For most children, training wheels create an inaccurate muscle memory with no consequence for releasing the handle bars. Think about this, they can leisurely ride down the sidewalk and stop at any time, and their bike still stays standing. They can pedal and wave to friends with fairly little change. They can get off their bike and it still stays standing. Remember, training wheels do not:

•Teach a child how to maintain their own balance, instead, they learn how to lean from one side to the other until the wheel catches them.
•Do not teach dynamic tension; a skill that needs to be acquired to pedal efficiently and maintain control of the bike, and in understanding to turn.
•Training wheels teach children to lean first and then turn.

Children need to be able to turn and lean at the same time without training wheels.

Instead of using training wheels, try using a glider bike for your child, or if you have a hand-me-down bike from an older sibling, try taking the pedals off. Let your child first learn to gain balance and glide and the rest will come. Gymco offers bike clinics and private lessons to children and adults who want to learn how to ride. As one Mom said, “Learning to ride your bike, opens up a whole new world of experiences.” and it is a skill that you will have for a lifetime.

Now, let’s talk about Alaina. She is 11 months old. She loves the water, too. She doesn’t want to sit in a raft or even be held. She just wants to be in the water. We have already spent a lot of time dunking her under the water and getting her used to it. She has just started walking and I think running is just around the corner. You should see her climb. She is so coordinated when it comes to climbing up and down from any obstacle she encounters. We get a little nervous, but it is such a joy to watch her excitement when she does something new. The amazing thing is that she knows that she has accomplished something great. Her smile says it all.

I don’t just share this information because I am proud of my children, but to encourage others to open the door of opportunities for their children. You need to understand that my wife Kelli and I are not pushing our children to be elite athletes or someday be a professional athlete. We do this because if we don’t then we are holding our children back from experiences and opportunities that will bring more joy and excitement to their lives. They are learning confidence at a young age through their accomplishments. We also spend a lot of time reading, listening to music, and just playing. They are learning to be polite, kind, and loving. We are trying to raise great children who will become great adults some day.

Kelli and I have found that by exposing our children to so many opportunities and encouraging them to learn and grow they will be more confident and enjoy so much more that life has to offer. All these opportunities are going to help them throughout their whole life. We can already tell you that Austin and Alaina are amazing.

Then comes the school stage — first day at preschool, kindergarten and on.

You see where I’m going with this, right? It is hard to move from stage to stage. Sometimes, it’s sad. We would love to keep our children little and always needing us. However, like baby birds, they must leave the nest and start their “stages.”

If you look at each stage as a new adventure and journey, the transition might not be as difficult. As your children move forward, you can remember when you were their age and doing the same things. Thus, lives evolve and grow. Enjoy your stages and cherish each one.

Joy

Gymco Strategist

Playing sports also establishes lifelong habits that translate into dramatic health benefits. Sportswomen have lower incidences of heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity, and breast and other reproductive cancers. The psychological gains are important, too. “Athletics build character,” said Tracy Austin, who was the world’s number one female singles tennis player in 1980 at age 17. “They teach you tenacity, discipline, social skills, and how to win and lose graciously.”

Keeping Girls in the Game
Parents can play a key role in encouraging their daughters’ lifelong involvement in sports. Unflagging parental support and positive reinforcement can counteract the negative cultural messages girls are bombarded with in adolescence. “My mother was a never-ending bowl of encouragement,” said Olympic skier Picabo Street, who is naturally big and strong, and battled stereotypes of femininity throughout high school. “My mother constantly told me, ‘You’re great. You’re beautiful. You’re so coordinated. I’m so proud to be your mother.’ It made me feel substantial. I also had my father encouraging me to excel because he knew what I was capable of doing.”

As with mastering a foreign language, the younger you are when you learn to play sports, the easier it is to acquire the skills and the more likely they are to stick with you for life. The first step is to introduce your daughter to athletics as early as possible. In fact, studies indicate if a girl does not participate in athletics by the time she is 10, there is only a 10 percent chance she will participate when she is 25.

An Athletic-filled Day
I grew up in an athletic family, and can’t remember a time when I wasn’t active. I still love it! My idea of a perfect day is being active and outdoors. Yesterday morning, I ran 3 miles followed by my strength and stretching workout. Later, I took a beautiful 3 mile walk with my husband. In the afternoon, we took the sailboat out into the middle of the Reeds Lake and enjoyed a swim with teacher Shannon and her kids. Tonight, I’ll enjoy another leisurely walk after the sun goes down. Whether it is water skiing, biking, tennis, or a host of other activities, I am confident in my athletic skills and am eager to participate. I am thankful my parents not only encouraged my sports participation, but intentionally provided the lessons and instruction that I needed to become skilled.
I can tell you that the positive benefits of sports participation endure for a lifetime. It definitely develops girl power!

Thoughts by Doreen

“Her pants were so big, I asked her if she bought them from an outdoors store in the tent section.”

“I don’t know if he would fit in well with our image.”

These are just some of the many comments I have heard in reference to overweight and obese people. It amazes me how our minds are so programmed that if we see a skinny person eating a lot of food, we think she is so lucky she can eat so much and stay skinny. But if it is an overweight person, the thought changes to he just needs to put down that food. Overweight and obese people are the one group in the United States that it is socially acceptable to stereotype, look down on and pretty much say whatever you want about their size.

I have even heard people make remarks such as, “How can they raise their children well when they’re so overweight? Those parents are such bad examples and I bet they can’t even keep up with their children.”

When I hear people say things like that, I am especially agitated because I am the product of an obese mother. While she did not lead by example in portion control or working out regularly, she did other, even more important things to ensure my siblings and I were healthy children. Today, my brother, sister and I are healthy and active adults. My mother will say, “I’m the fat mom with the skinny children.”

You could argue it is genetics that has kept us at healthy weights, and in part, it probably is true; my father has maintained a decent weight throughout his life, but at the same time, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in my early teen years. To put it simply, it is a disease that makes you fat and sluggish (it is what Oprah primarily blames for her ongoing struggle with weight). To prove my point further, my mother took care of my cousin, who was an overweight child, during her preschool and kindergarten years. During those years, my cousin lost a considerable amount of fat and maintained a healthy weight for the first and only time in her life.

One of the simplest, yet important things my mother did was to push us out the door. We were either actively playing or doing chores like weeding the garden. Lazy was a four-letter word. If we ever dared to complain that we were bored, she would say, “Good, I have work you can do.” The TV was almost never allowed to be on during the day. I can remember one summer day, my mom accidentally started a bad fire in the kitchen and smoke billowed through the house. My dad worked nights so he was asleep upstairs and my mom had forgotten to wake him. When she finally did and he was safely out of the house, he asked where my sister and I had been when the fire started. When we told him we were watching a movie, he exclaimed in a disapproving tone, “What were you girls doing watching a movie on a nice day!” I couldn’t believe my mom had set the house on fire and left him in a smoke-filled room for a while and all he was concerned about was that we were watching a movie.

A few years back, I asked my mother if she had ever been on any diets. To my surprise, she was trying something new all the time. I recalled seeing diet pills and Slim Fast shake mixes in the cupboard, but I never thought anything of it. My mother never once said she needed to lose weight or that she was on a diet. Hearing so many children say they need to go on a diet and that they are worried about how many calories are in their peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I am so grateful my mom never talked about counting calories or diets. The majority of the children I hear talk about dieting have an unhealthy obsession with losing weight and a poor body image.

At dinner time, I often did not like everything that was on my plate, especially the veggies, but I almost would always eat it. One, because I was not allowed to have snacks close to supper, so I was hungry. Two, because I wanted dessert. “You don’t have to eat everything on your plate if you’re not hungry, but no dessert and no snacks later,” she would tell us.

Fighting against the rampant growth of extremely excessive fat cells in America is like waging a war against terrorist cells in the Middle East. It’s difficult to tell if there has been any progress. Maybe it is because we need to change our tactics. What if instead of putting people down for their weight — to their faces and behind their backs — we accepted them for who they are? What if we went beyond our assumptions and recognized and appreciated their beauty and strengths? There is nothing like happiness to replace comfort food.

****EDITOR’S NOTE**** An advertisement has appeared at the bottom of this post and we did not approve it in anyway. It does not reflect the thoughts and ideas of Gymco.