Why We MUST Be Active With Our Children

I work as a mental health counselor, life coach, and personal trainer and often write about how mental health and physical health are so closely intertwined. In the office, the first thing I prescribe my depressed and/or anxious patients is 20 minutes of walking most days. In the gym, the first thing I talk to overweight clients about is any major mental/emotional issues they may have that may be impeding their physical goals. Our physical well-being greatly impacts our emotional well-being and vice versa.

I recently read a research report that makes perfect sense but is also an eye-opener to the impact physical exercise can truly have on our children's mental and emotional well-being. The research study concludes that exercise among teens reduces suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts.  (Here's a link to the actual research study: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150921095433.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fhealth_medicine%2Ffitness+%28Fitness+News+--+ScienceDaily%29 ). 

It is quite unsettling in that we know these things to be true and yet we are reducing recess time and physical education classes within our schools.

Remember to encourage your kiddos to move, move, move! Talk to them about why exercise and play is so important for them. Make sure you are setting an example for them by being active and having them be active with you. Even a simple walk after dinner every evening creates a wonderful behavior pattern that a child can take with them into adulthood (My mom did this for me and it's a gift I could never repay her enough for!) Remember that when we are active with our children, we are not only creating physically healthy individuals but mentally and emotionally healthy individuals as well!