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Why Children Need to Exercise
Exercise is something not only adults need to do, but children as well.
With exercise, the joints of adults and children maintain flexibility,
muscles grow strong and they adapt a strong sense of endurance which is
needed throughout their lives. Today, school work, home work and chores
all seem to take most of a child's time during the day. In fact, there
is hardly any time to play; however, it is important to stop this and
incorporate some exercise through playtime for the child. Doctors say
that keeping children from playing only causes trouble; and this is
partly the cause for the rise in ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder) and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). It is necessary for
children to have some exercise to burn off energy; without having much
interference from an adult, and while burning energy, exercise helps in
fighting against obesity in children.
It is a known fact that just an hour of exercise a day can change the
health of a child for the better; not only in their childhood but also
throughout their adult lives. Once they develop a habit of an hour of
exercise everyday, this habit will be carried over to their adulthood
which proves to be very beneficial. To many adults, exercising is
difficult because of insufficient time and just sheer laziness. However,
if exercise is cultivated from childhood, they don't find it as an
intrusion to their daily schedule.
Children, who exercise, have higher endurance levels. They can play
actively for an hour or two without actually feeling exhausted. It is
not necessary that the exercise programs they follow need to be the
exercise routines done in gyms; playing itself if a form of exercise.
Running around after friends and pets, riding bicycles, climbing trees
and other things like stomping in mud puddles are all activities
children enjoy doing, and doing these things for an hour or more a day
is sufficient to make them strong both mentally and physically.
With exercise in their daily routine, children will stay/become fit;
they tend to sleep more soundly and awaken feeling refreshed; mental
activities like puzzles become easier to them. Children who exercise
feel that they are always filled with energy. With exercise, the child
not only develops a healthy body, but also a healthy mind, wherein they
learn to interact with others.
Children playing together learn the art of reading other children's body
language. With this, they can handle disagreements and arguments better
and help resolve issues. Children learn to interact politely amongst
themselves and these lessons last a lifetime. School is a great place
for children to exercise and play together; however, in such situations,
teachers usually interfere when troubles occur. Actually, it is better
to let children solve complications on their own without any
interference from adults.
One of the best forms of exercise in a child's life is organized sports.
While playing soccer, flag football and baseball, the child is taught to
stay in shape. Moreover, such games teach children many important
lessons in life like sharing, teamwork and resolving anger amongst
themselves and others. With these qualities incorporated within
themselves, these children develop into respectable and polite adults.
Though adults may feel like setting limits in exercise for a child, it
is better to let the child decide him or herself when it is enough. This
is because it is better if the child can set limits from an early age
and in the process, set manageable limits. So make sure that your child
has his or her share of exercise everyday. With exercise, the child
learns and develops valuable skills that last a lifetime.
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