Worry that THEY are Always Watching YOU
Our son, Hayden, is a Senior in high school this year and has been playing football since junior high. Before football became his main sport, he wrestled for a few years and dabbled in other sports such as baseball, hockey, and even par-core. Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be a huge bragging session from a Mom about how great of an athlete her son is, but more about how important it is that he has been consistently active since he was young involved in some kind of sport.
As we’re all aware, habits of children form at a young age because they tend to mimic their parent’s habits/lifestyles very early. Since Hayden was little, he has watched me train long hours in preparation of fitness competitions, train for races, put myself through Yoga Certs, CrossFit Certs, and a plethora of other things to achieve my health and wellness objectives. Along the way he has been involved with all of them at some level. He has also watched me spend a lot of time in the kitchen food prepping for the week and cooking healthy meals for our family. Additionally, he has observed our awesome podcast host doing the same, but to a whole other level of intensity and fitness goals.
Throughout the years, seeing the people in our ‘circle’ living a similar lifestyle to us, active and healthy in nature, has just become part of the norm for our son. But, what if his parents weren’t that way? What if we mostly lived a sedentary lifestyle along with all our friends? What if our cabinets and refrigerator were full of processed, sugary, sodium ridden ‘foods’ and fast food was our habitual ‘go to’ for meals? What kinds of traits would our son be mimicking right now at the age 18? What kind of health traits is your child mimicking right now or those you have a direct influence on?
I bring this up because I see it all too often; kids not being active enough. Our generation likes to say it’s the kids’ fault claiming, “kids these days are so lazy, so unmotivated, etc., etc.,” but in reality, that problem mostly stems from the parents not setting a solid example and foundation for what a healthy lifestyle should look and be like. Therefore, it’s so important that we set the standard; be involved, encourage, support, help them find something they enjoy doing and do it with them.
In addition, we cannot ever discount the power of planting these types of seeds in our youth. For instance, Hayden is sore all the time because his body is constantly put to test during football season. Every Sunday when I go to teach yoga class, I ask him if he wants to come along and remind him it’s the same style of yoga he use to help me study for when I was going through yoga school. But, without fail, every Sunday I get the same answer, “no thank you, mom.” However, because that seed has been planted, he still asks me to show him stretches that he can do at home to alleviate tightness and soreness because he knows it works and is good for him. My point is, he’s always listening, he’s always watching, he’s always absorbing; they all are! So, we need to do our part and make sure they are absorbing the right content going into adulthood.
If you’re on your game and setting that example already, BRAVO! If you don’t have kids to set that example for, set it for someone else in your life who you can influence for the positive. And if you are struggling with your own fitness habits/lifestyle, find someone to help you achieve the standard you’re after so you can in turn pass on to your children or somebody else.
The first part of this quote from Positive Parenting makes me laugh because it is so true, yet the second part is what really hits home with what I have written and what matters most: ‘Don’t worry that children never listen to you. Worry that they are always watching you’ …so make sure they see you doing something awesome!
~Sarah
