Let's get Your Kids Moving with You!

Let's get Your Kids Moving with You!

Kids are notorious for wanting to emulate everything their parents do – the good and the not so good. Having you kids join you for a workout can help teach valuable lifelong health lessons and also help them develop the skills to take care of their bodies starting at a very early age.

When I have clients that have kids, I actively encourage them to bring their kids with them when they can. Of course sometimes, coming to train with me is a time to get away! Some alone time – or the perfect time to have some time away from the daily grind while taking care of your physical health. I have recently enjoyed seeing my clients let their kids join in on video workout calls necessitated by stay at home orders and social distancing requirements due to COVID-19

Just as we discussed how stress affects us in our previous blog, kids can suffer from it as well. Kids need to move - not be stuck behind a desk or computer screen all day only to come home in the evening for even more screen time - and moving does wonders for their mood, focus and sleep (which in turn puts us in better moods!)

Going to big gyms does not allow you the freedom of your kids working out with you. They have to sit in the childcare area – which you most likely have to pay extra for. We have added some great additions in our basic MyContainerGym package that will help you get your children headed down the right path in a safe way while having fun with you! Can’t you just picture your little cutie doing squats with their mini lifter while you use the olympic barbell? Or they can move to the other end of your MCG and you can do yoga or cardio classes on the projector. Even if they aren’t super content to workout with mom or dad, you at least have the flexibility for them to be there with you and playing with their own toys or running around while you workout at home. And don’t forget your pets are there too!

So what does being active mean for the health of children and adolescents? Physical activity improves heart and bone health, as well as muscular fitness. It reduces the risk of weight gain, while boosting academic performance. Studies find that moderate to vigorous exercise also improves cognition, memory, processing speed, attention and academic performance¹. Two more areas – behavior and sleep! Who doesn’t want their children to behave well and sleep better so that you can too!

There are only 2 states that meet the weekly recommendations for exercise in elementary and middle school students. So unless you live in Oregon or Washington DC it is up to you, the parents, to make sure your children are getting adequate exercise outside of school². So if you let them workout with you and show them healthy habits and have fun while doing it, you can both reap the rewards!

Sources: ¹Hale, L., & Guan, S. 2015. Screen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: A systematic literature review. Sleep Medicine Review, 21, 50–58.

IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2013.

²Lipnowski, S., et al. 2012. Healthy active living: Physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents. Paediatrics & Child Health, 17 (4), 209–12.