How parents can play role in keeping kids fit

By Vikki L. Conwell

For the AJC

For Danna Remensnyder, keeping her children physically active is as simple as child’s play.

The Lawrenceville single mother of two devotes at least one hour each day -- rain or shine -- to physical play as part of her children’s routine. The children jump rope, use a Hula Hoop, play hopscotch and even tie physical activities to card and dice games. When it's raining outside, the garage converts into an indoor arena for her daughter, Reece, 12, and son, Cade, 7, to play tennis or handball.

“Keeping my children active has always been important,” said the exercise physiologist, who forbids her children from just sitting around watching television and eating after school. “The priority is homework and eating dinner, then it’s time for outside play or physical activity before they go to bed.”

Remensnyder believes her focus on physical activity will prevent her children from becoming among the 37 percent of Georgia children ages 10 to 17 who are overweight or obese, according to a 2009 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study.

Practicing play helps children develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime, say health and nutrition experts. Simple routine activities, such as walking, running and throwing a ball, can help shrink the nation’s obesity epidemic.

For parents in Georgia, getting involved in their children's fitness is important for another reason.

Georgia is “behind the times” in physical education with no mandate for physical education at any grade level, said Dan Fesperman, program coordinator for child wellness at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Physical education is not mandatory for students in Georgia, but programs are offered in various forms. Still, only 34 percent of ninth-grade to 12th-grade students in Georgia participate in physical education during school, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2010 State Indicator Report on Physical Activity.

Parents should begin incorporating physical play into children’s routines prior to preschool so it becomes a normal part of their lives.

“The earlier you start creating habits, the sooner you maintain habits,” Fesperman said.

Studies suggest that the older children get, the more sedentary they become. Only 26 percent of ninth-grade to 12th-grade students in Georgia receive the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day, according to the CDC’s 2010 physical activity report. The statistic includes athletes, so without organized sport, most students remain virtually inactive.

Children should not have to be athletes to be active, Fesperman said.

Krysta Rowan agrees. The Southwest DeKalb High School senior says that schools should emphasize physical activity and allocate more resources to helping students participate.

Rowan works out with a personal trainer at least two days a week after school and participates in a boot camp on Saturday mornings, and she plans to join the tennis team this school year. Climbing stairs, doing squats and lifting have become a normal part of her life and commitment to getting and staying fit.

Exercise is not about looking good in a pair of jeans, said Rowan, 17, who began working out regularly more than a year ago. Having a healthy body image is more important than achieving a certain size, said the Decatur teen.

“It makes me feel better about myself because I’m doing something to help myself,” said Rowan, who credits her parents with supporting and motivating her.

Rowan’s mother often joins her daughter at the gym, walking around the mall or working out with exercise videos at home when it rains. Her father, a competitive power lifter, inspires his daughter to achieve whatever success she desires.

“I’ve always instilled taking care of yourself and doing what you need to take care of yourself,” said Demetra Rowan, a retired network engineer.

The burden lies with parents to model and encourage fitness behaviors in their children, experts say. Children should be encouraged to participate in some aerobic activity -- playing catch, jumping rope or tag -- for at least an hour of collective time each day. The time can be broken into 15-minute intervals.

Parents who want to help their children be fit often don’t know how to begin.

“Turn off the TV, iPods and Game Boys,” Fesperman said. “It’s too convenient for kids not to play.”

Still, other parents cite lack of time as a hindrance to exercise and physical activity.

Physical activity is important to a child’s health and should be included in their day just as brushing their teeth, said Fesperman, who says children need creative, active breaks after school and homework. “You don’t have to schedule an activity -- just schedule time for your child to do it.”

Single mom Remensnyder juggles three jobs and says that if she can find the time for physical play, other parents can.

“As parents, we’re the biggest role model,” she said. “In order to keep them active, we’ve got to set those positive healthy behaviors.”

Why play matters

Active play is not just fun but beneficial to the body, because it:

• Fosters better sleep. Being physically active will help improve your child’s sleep.

• Improves mood. Physical activity can give your child a better attitude and an extra energy boost during the day.

• Fuels your brain. Twenty minutes of physical activity before starting homework can help your child unwind from the day and improve concentration.

• Builds bonds with buddies. Engaging in physical activity with friends is a great way for your child to bond with friends and make new ones.

• Stretches talent. Pre- and post- stretching improves your child’s balance, which enhances coordination and athletic performance.

Source: American Heart Association

Make play fun and active

You don’t have to be an expert to create fun activities for your child, but an exercise physiologist offers the following tips:

• Make a commitment to your child and their health.

• Turn off the TV, computers and video games (unless they involve physical activity). If your child has enough time to watch TV, then there is definitely enough time to exercise.

• Set aside time each day/week for physical activity. No amount of time is too small. If you have only 10 minutes, use it and try to fit in another 10 minutes later in the day.

• Choose a variety of age-appropriate activities that your child enjoys and make it fun. The activities do not have to be organized or structured, just fun.

• Plan family activities. Children love to be watched and to show parents what they can do. The attention will keep them moving.

• Consider after-school programs that include physical activity in their daily regimen.

• Find fitness centers that offer kid classes and activities.

• Lead by example. You, as a parent, are the biggest role model your children will ever have, so provide them with positive healthy habits and behaviors.

Source: Danna Remensnyder, exercise physiologist

Ideas for fun and games

• Hula Hoop

• Jump-rope

• Pogo stick

• Skipping, hopping or jumping

• Climbing trees

• Hopscotch

• Tag

• Throwing a ball/Frisbee/Hacky Sack

• Walking/running -- relay races

• Scooters, skateboards, roller skates

• Biking

• Push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups

Source: Danna Remensnyder, exercise physiologist