Kids' Exercise Needs

According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, children and teens need 60 minutes of activity a day for their health. "Activity" can mean going for a walk, playing sports, participating in a weekly gymnastics class, walking to the corner store with Mom or Dad instead of driving, going on a bike ride, etc.

The two important points here are:

• A child is apt to be more active if exposed to activities that are fun.
  
• In today's world, we need to create opportunities for our children to be active.

For best results, establish a repertoire of physical activities that your child can enjoy with minimal complications and stress. You can take this perceived "task" and turn it into an opportunity for more quality time with your child. Remember that parental modeling is a great motivator for children: If you do something, they may be more likely to do it, too.

You can also attack this issue from another angle by reducing your child's TV/video game/computer time. Try striking a bargain with her; for example, you could ask her to do 30 minutes of activity for every hour of TV.

Finally, do not pressure your child or hold unrealistic expectations for her. This usually backfires and ends up with the child developing a negative association with physical activity and exercise.