Compelling kids of all ages (including ourselves) to regard new experiences as an integral aspect of life, as opposed to threats to be avoided, will positively impact physical and mental health.
Jordana has written an important piece that harkens to “olden days” when play was spontaneous and creative and not restricted by helicopter parents and restrictions by wokeness. (Competition was merit based and not everyone was a winner). Old or young, “the world is our gym.” This quote comes from a physical therapist I worked with, 8 years ago at age 72, when I was in rehab after bilateral knee replacement. I walked as much as possible, went up and down off the curb in the sidewalk,(no cut outs), went up and down stairs as much as possible. To this day, I continue using the world as my gym walking up and down the escalator (no free ride), carry groceries, (no delivery and continue with all my movement oriented activities. All this requires, whether young or old, motivation, creativity and love of moving.
So true! With all of modern life's conveniences, we often forget to move because it is so easy to remain sedentary. We need to continue to be mindful that this is not always in our best interest. We should be as active as we can in quotidian ways and encourage our children to do the same and build healthy lifestyle habits!
Jordana has written an important piece that harkens to “olden days” when play was spontaneous and creative and not restricted by helicopter parents and restrictions by wokeness. (Competition was merit based and not everyone was a winner). Old or young, “the world is our gym.” This quote comes from a physical therapist I worked with, 8 years ago at age 72, when I was in rehab after bilateral knee replacement. I walked as much as possible, went up and down off the curb in the sidewalk,(no cut outs), went up and down stairs as much as possible. To this day, I continue using the world as my gym walking up and down the escalator (no free ride), carry groceries, (no delivery and continue with all my movement oriented activities. All this requires, whether young or old, motivation, creativity and love of moving.
So true! With all of modern life's conveniences, we often forget to move because it is so easy to remain sedentary. We need to continue to be mindful that this is not always in our best interest. We should be as active as we can in quotidian ways and encourage our children to do the same and build healthy lifestyle habits!
There's a book, I of the Vortex, by Rodolfo Llinas, who's a neuroscientist. He argues that movement and brain development go hand in hand.