Break the Zombie Habits and Send your Kids Outdoors!
By Donna Stark
Just in case your child hasn’t told you for the umpteenth time, summer is right around the corner. And with it comes both the good and the bad. The good? Well, it’s a break from school and time for family vacations. The bad? It’s a break from school and your child’s everyday routine is going to need to be adjusted. Summer typically means weeks of unstructured days for our children and for us parents, doesn’t it seem that the days are never-ending?
Avoiding the Zombie Child
Many parents worry about how they are going to keep their child from becoming a summertime zombie. How are they going to get them out of their rooms, away from the television, and off of the video games? And will the dishes ever return to the kitchen from underneath their child’s bed?
Now might be a good time to start establishing some family activities or healthy behaviors so that the summer starts off and continues to be smooth sailing. Here are some suggestions on how to get your child outside where they can actually see and feel the sun.
- Explore new parks - Commit to visiting a new park each week. In addition to fighting off boredom at home and at the regular park down the street, this will add some adventure and new interest to your child’s day. Just don’t forget to pack plenty of water, some healthy snacks, and a blanket so you can relax in comfort.
- Bring back the past - Do you remember all of the games that you played when you were young? You know, back in the day when we were all allowed to be outside alone until the street lights came on. Don’t let those days disappear with your age! Teach your children how to play, and then have them invite their friends over for a night filled with fun.
- Family fitness time - I remember growing up and taking a family bike ride every Sunday morning. It was a great way for my parents to instill healthy behaviors while encouraging family fun. Evening walks were something else we did as a family too, and that was the perfect time to catch up and have wonderful discussions with each other.
- Paint with water - Grab some paint brushes, sponges, squirt bottles, and containers of water and then sit back and watch your child’s creativity explode. Painting with water is fun to do because eventually the picture they “paint” evaporates, so there is always an opportunity to start all over again with a new design. And the most important aspect? It’s a mess-free, mom-friendly, super-clean way to paint!
Keep the zombies in the television set and the video games and set yours free. Encourage them to dig the dishes out from under their beds, stay active, and have the best summer yet!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Culver City, Calif.