No sports/exercise so no tv/video games

[Anonymous]

Maybe you should not give them a choice. Sounds like you gave them way too many with that list. My kids do two things, one instrument and one sport. (TKD). One would like to quit and sit in front of a television all day. Not going to happen. I know he will want to quit anything he signs up for so we are sticking with the one he is in now. Not a choice. If he decides later that he wants to add something, fine. Sign up, but we are sticking with what we started. It takes along time to master most of the things on the list you provided so how do they know they do not like these things. No way could they really learn any list that long at that age. Stop letting them tell you what they want to do. Really kids do not need that many choices. What exactly are they doing after school now that they have quit everything you signed them up for?

[Anonymous]

09/16/2011 23:54 and 09/18/2011 00:29 have it - when my non-athletic kid learned to swim, we'd go swimming TOGETHER either w/ a friend of his or just us- and we'd BOTH GET A WORK OUT and then when bike riding came, we'd go biking TOGETHER either both of us on bikes or him biking and me jogging. BE THE EXAMPLE show them what it looks like to work out, have fun, be together - make it a positive experience. When we compartmentalize our lives with going to the gym w/out the kids, they don't see the example. Winter time? Indoor pools, paved paths, occasional ski trip... you get the picture.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and, when is my DS most likely to practice his instrument? When I DO! Seriously - maybe parents don't want to practice their instruments but hey, we signed up for this (parenthood) we took it on willingly, while childhood was rather forced upon them, right? Go the extra step - learn the instrument! It makes a huge difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and, when is my DS most likely to practice his instrument? When I DO! Seriously - maybe parents don't want to practice their instruments but hey, we signed up for this (parenthood) we took it on willingly, while childhood was rather forced upon them, right? Go the extra step - learn the instrument! It makes a huge difference.

so basically are you saying if we want our kids to do something, we have to do it too? I want my kids to go to bed at 8, I am staying up as late as I want. I want my kids to watch pg movies but if I want to watch an R, I will without them. I do not think we should have to sign up for the things they do. They need to do somethings on their own. Whether they like it or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:09/16/2011 23:54 and 09/18/2011 00:29 have it - when my non-athletic kid learned to swim, we'd go swimming TOGETHER either w/ a friend of his or just us- and we'd BOTH GET A WORK OUT and then when bike riding came, we'd go biking TOGETHER either both of us on bikes or him biking and me jogging. BE THE EXAMPLE show them what it looks like to work out, have fun, be together - make it a positive experience. When we compartmentalize our lives with going to the gym w/out the kids, they don't see the example. Winter time? Indoor pools, paved paths, occasional ski trip... you get the picture.

Thanks but we do. I love sports so I ice-skated with him, ran with him, swam with him, ....always the mom outside playing kick- ball, catch, basketball, football. Husband loves biking so we all go as a family. Also, say let's go for a walk after dinner & on weekends. Put-put, etc.

As to why so many choices....I gave them choices because they are not athletic, coordinated and I was looking for one that might play to their strengths. Not that crazy really as there is so much to offer here and you choose a fall/spring activity and it just adds up. I know it takes time and i tell them all the time that it is even hard for the best athletes as you need to constantly work at it. But, Thanks for all the. Posts who could relate. It is nice to not feel like the only family out there with this issue. A happy update is that the little one said he did want to try basketball this winter as his first exposure was this summer. The older guy said yes to an art class that starts next
week. As to what they do now is talk a little more to me, help with dinner a bit more, read a bit more, and go outside for 15 min instead
of 5. -- so not so bad all around.

[Anonymous]

I agree that we should model the behaviors we want our kids to adopt. I have a very hard time holding my kids to higher standards than those I apply to myself. Bedtimes and R movies are bad examples, because what is developmentally appropriate in those areas depends on age. But sports and music are equally valuable to children and adults. I do not see how you can force a child to play and instrument he/she doesn't like if you don't play yourself. I also started taking lessons again and practicing for this reason, and I joined a sports team even though I never played on one in high school. It is not easy to make time for these things, but I think it sets a good example, and I must admit these are the things I look forward to most in my week.

[Anonymous]

I don't think that playing on a sports team is neccessary for kids. Being active is, but it can look lots of different ways.

Are you hoping to motivate them to choose something by withhold TV, or simply not to let TV take over when the kids have lots of free time. If it's the former, I wonder if that's a good approach. If it's the latter, then I would probably set some limits, either in a "TV after . . . (in our house it's homework, dinner with family, and some kind of exercise, whether it's football practice or taking the dog for a nice long walk, and not after a certain hour), or in a "TV only on weekends". If you do this, you should free up some time for them to explore other things.

[Anonymous]

co-activity poster here: thank you 09/21/2011 19:27! YESSSS!

[Anonymous]

Wash the car, weed the yard, mail a letter, carry the groceries, take out the garbage, walk to the library - there are non-sports options, too.

I'm a big fan of banning TV, for whatever reason. The things kids come up with when they are bored are more useful for their development than the organized activities we hand them on a platter. Get a kid's cookbook, or kitchen science experiments.