Selling Runnng to your Kids?



T

Topcounsel

Guest
Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some success in starting their young
kids with the running habit. My daughter has just reached 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit as
any other healthy person can. She knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to join me.
I know she kinda likes the idea of age-group medals, eating healthy food, being thin, etc., but I
think I need a way to make it "fun" for her, and her mom doesn't run either. [If this isn't an
invitation for trolls, I don't know what is.....oh well]. Any good experiences with this?
 
Do a google search on kids and running and you can see some ideas I have. In short, a good
variety, a few races, and being creative on running activities is good. I often associate a hard
run with my kids with going out to a cool breakfast or lunch with them. For example, my kids love
IHOP after a hard run.

"TopCounsel" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:20031230164904.15365.00002077@mb-
m03.aol.com...
> Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some
success in
> starting their young kids with the running habit. My daughter has
just reached
> 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit as any other healthy person
can. She
> knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to join me. I
know she
> kinda likes the idea of age-group medals, eating healthy food, being
thin,
> etc., but I think I need a way to make it "fun" for her, and her mom
doesn't
> run either. [If this isn't an invitation for trolls, I don't know
what
> is.....oh well]. Any good experiences with this?
 
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (TopCounsel) wrote:

> Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some success in starting their young
> kids with the running habit. My daughter has just reached 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit
> as any other healthy person can. She knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to join
> me. I know she kinda likes the idea of age-group medals, eating healthy food, being thin, etc.,
> but I think I need a way to make it "fun" for her, and her mom doesn't run either. [If this isn't
> an invitation for trolls, I don't know what is.....oh well]. Any good experiences with this?

yup. when my daughter was 7 she expressed an interest in doing some local fun runs. i think the
best way to start out is find ones where both the parent and child can run together. that is what
your daughter will really remember (if she remembers any of it at all :) - that you were there
running with her.

my daughter and i did a couple of those parent/child runs, then at the next one, at the last minute,
she decided she wanted to run it on her own. that surprised me but i was happy to see that she
wanted to be more independent in the "race". the training was easy-going, just a bit of running,
then a walk to recover, another run, walk, and so on. nothing more formal than that. and i just got
her to the point where she could jog almost continuously for 10-15 minutes. these were 1-2km fun
runs that she participated in so this training was sufficient. i had her do that workout a few times
each week, with at least one day of rest in between workouts.

she kind of lost interest last year, but she was intrigued by my triathlon training and racing (new
to me). she loves swimming and she showed an interest in trying a tri. so this year i got her
registered in a kids race, and then helped her train for that. this was a bit more challenging,
squeezing in a couple of runs and swims each week, with at least one bike ride. speed was never the
goal, but rather working out for about the amount of time that would be involved in the race. that's
the key. get the kids comfortable with doing 15 minutes of running or whatever and then let them
have fun in the race/fun run. there's a great deal of satisfaction in seeing your kids doing
something that both they and you love, and knowing that you helped get them there.

best of luck,

Cam
 
TenKMan wrote:
> Do a google search on kids and running and you can see some ideas I have. In short, a good
> variety, a few races, and being creative on running activities is good. I often associate a hard
> run with my kids with going out to a cool breakfast or lunch with them. For example, my kids love
> IHOP after a hard run.

I also love IHOP - can I come along?

--
Doug Freese "Caveat Lector" [email protected]
 
I highly recommend getting your kids involved in jogging...............if you want them to stop
talking to you sooner than they will already.
 
"Doug Freese" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> TenKMan wrote:
> > Do a google search on kids and running and you can see some ideas I have. In short, a good
> > variety, a few races, and being creative on running activities is good. I often associate a hard
> > run with my
kids
> > with going out to a cool breakfast or lunch with them. For example,
my
> > kids love IHOP after a hard run.
>
> I also love IHOP - can I come along?

Yes, if you won't tease the girls, chase dogs, or make fun of the others that are running, you may
come to IHOP with us. But you will have the same rules Russell does; that is, if you burp out loud
at IHOP, you don't get the chocolate chip pancakes nor the sausage.

>
> --
> Doug Freese "Caveat Lector" [email protected]
 
TopCounsel wrote:

> Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some success in starting their young
> kids with the running habit. My daughter has just reached 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit
> as any other healthy person can. She knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to join
> me. I know she kinda likes the idea of age-group medals, eating healthy food, being thin, etc.,
> but I think I need a way to make it "fun" for her, and her mom doesn't run either. [If this isn't
> an invitation for trolls, I don't know what is.....oh well]. Any good experiences with this?

My sons (18 and 15) are good runners. They started through school, and have joined me from time to
time at my weekly track session with my running club and at some races. My older daughter (now 12
started running at age 10) doesn't have any serious running at school, but enjoys running and has
also occasionally joined me at the track and has run a few races. My 7 y/o daughter wanted to join
in the family fun. So I took her out a few times on some 2 km routes where we run a little, walk a
little and she loves using my running drink bottles to sip water as we go. Meanwhile my wife has
taken up running, and she sometimes takes our 7 y/o down to the track where she likes to run on the
grass infield or climb the stadium stairs. Our 2 yearold runs the house...

Good luck,

Anthony.
 
[email protected] (TopCounsel) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some success in starting their young
> kids with the running habit. My daughter has just reached 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit
> as any other healthy person can. She knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to
> join me.

Not to be too sarcastic but how many 6-1/2 year old girls are there who ask daddy if she can
run with him?

I know she
> kinda likes the idea of age-group medals, eating healthy food, being thin, etc., but I think I
> need a way to make it "fun" for her, and her mom doesn't run either. [If this isn't an invitation
> for trolls, I don't know what is.....oh well]. Any good experiences with this?

Go fly a kite. No really. Buy a kite and take it to a field on a day that isn't too windy. You two
will run up a storm trying to get the kite in the air. Keep in mind that "keeping it fun" and "age
group medals" are almost mutally exclusive ideas. At 6-1/2 years I'd be concerned letting any girl
run more than a mile. Taking her on a 5k run with daddy would enter the realm of abuse. Keep in mind
she may like or not.

With no encouragement from my parents I started running on my own in 4th grade. About 5 years later
I ran my first race and made it a regular habbit a little after that.

Enjoy, Andy
 
Its more important for an activity to be aerobic and fun, than to be a particular activity. Else the
child could develop a lifetime resentment toward the activity and parental pressure. General play
like hide-and-seek, soccer, hockey, basketball, etc. have lots of running. Running probably becomes
more socially motivated during the junior high and high school years, when it is an actual sport
(track, x-country).
 
On 30 Dec 2003 21:49:04 GMT, [email protected] (TopCounsel) wrote:

>Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some success in starting their young
>kids with the running habit. My daughter has just reached 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit
>as any other healthy person can. She knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to join
>me. I know she kinda likes the idea of age-group medals, eating healthy food, being thin, etc., but
>I think I need a way to make it "fun" for her, and her mom doesn't run either. [If this isn't an
>invitation for trolls, I don't know what is.....oh well]. Any good experiences with this?

I'm thinking along the lines of Andy. I doubt that at age 6
1/2 many children, if any, should be going out and running 5K's. I also doubt many would find it fun
at all. OTOH we have a local youth's running club, I believe 9 and up, that alot of kids and
parents are involved in. Probabaly would be more interesting for the kid if other kids are
involved. In my case our kid just isn't interested in running, not due to lack of trying to get
her interested. She is on the swim team though.

~Matt
 
AMH wrote:

> [email protected] (TopCounsel) wrote in message news:<20031230164904.15365.00002077@mb-
> m03.aol.com>...
>
>>Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some success in starting their young
>>kids with the running habit. My daughter has just reached 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit
>>as any other healthy person can. She knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to
>>join me.
>

You might be surprised. My 3 year old daughter asks to running with her father. Of course she really
means ,"will you push my in the jogging stroller while I ride."

>
> Not to be too sarcastic but how many 6-1/2 year old girls are there who ask daddy if she can run
> with him?
>
> I know she
>
>>kinda likes the idea of age-group medals, eating healthy food, being thin, etc., but I think I
>>need a way to make it "fun" for her, and her mom doesn't run either. [If this isn't an invitation
>>for trolls, I don't know what is.....oh well]. Any good experiences with this?
>
>
> Go fly a kite. No really. Buy a kite and take it to a field on a day that isn't too windy. You two
> will run up a storm trying to get the kite in the air. Keep in mind that "keeping it fun" and "age
> group medals" are almost mutally exclusive ideas. At 6-1/2 years I'd be concerned letting any girl
> run more than a mile. Taking her on a 5k run with daddy would enter the realm of abuse. Keep in
> mind she may like or not.
>
> With no encouragement from my parents I started running on my own in 4th grade. About 5 years
> later I ran my first race and made it a regular habbit a little after that.
>
> Enjoy, Andy
 
TenKMan wrote:

> Yes, if you won't tease the girls, chase dogs, or make fun of the others that are running, you may
> come to IHOP with us. But you will have the same rules Russell does; that is, if you burp out loud
> at IHOP, you don't get the chocolate chip pancakes nor the sausage.

You drive a hard bargain. Me not tease the girls or tell the runners their form is like a wounded
chicken? Not Burp? Us low class Germans consider the burp, albeit after the meal is finished, a form
of flattery. Besides, I always thought the old and infirm along with young and not yet enlightened
were allowed dispensation for such behavior. In my case it's like the condemned man getting his last
meal without the follow up needle, gas or zap.

The proof of your efforts will show with the next generation when you're back at the same IHOP with
the your kids, kids. They either mirror your standards or you live through the burp and giggle
contest. The reward at the grandchild level is you send them home when they misbehave. :)

--
Doug Freese "Caveat Lector" [email protected]
 
[email protected] (TopCounsel) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some success in starting their young
> kids with the running habit. My daughter has just reached 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit
> as any other healthy person can. She knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to join
> me. I know she kinda likes the idea of age-group medals, eating healthy food, being thin, etc.,
> but I think I need a way to make it "fun" for her, and her mom doesn't run either. [If this isn't
> an invitation for trolls, I don't know what is.....oh well]. Any good experiences with this?

My just-turned 6-yo likes the "idea" of running (perhaps a bit more than the actual running part of
running). She wants to do a "kids race" but I got busy this fall and didn't get us out to a good one
with a 1/4 mile or 1/2 mile race for the littles. I'll try to find one for her in the spring. She
does like to come out to the track with me if the weather's in a good range (not too cold, not too
hot) and run a lap or two and then fart around in the infield or the "long sandbox." She also likes
to run short stretches when we go out on walking hikes. Sometimes we go run around the little lake
in our apt. complex a few times.

The other thing I do with her and her older brother is take them with their bikes out to the bike
path and let them ride while I run. This makes it possible to get in a decent length run of 3-4
miles. They can ride faster than my pokey pace nowadays, but they are easily distractable, so I
usually catch up to them when they find something "interesting" on the side of the path, like
wildflowers or dead frogs.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (rick++) wrote:

> Its more important for an activity to be aerobic and fun, than to be a particular activity. Else
> the child could develop a lifetime resentment toward the activity and parental pressure. General
> play like hide-and-seek, soccer, hockey, basketball, etc. have lots of running. Running probably
> becomes more socially motivated during the junior high and high school years, when it is an actual
> sport (track, x-country).

i think the idea here, though, is to just expose the kids to running, not pressure them into the
competitive sport as a career. besides, THAT would require some above-average talent, anyway. and as
a dad, i know that different kids gravitate toward different types of activities/sports. my daughter
never really enjoyed team sports, but when i introduced her to running, swimming and biking, she
really enjoyed them. sports where she can either do them on her own or with others, whether training
or competing, are what she prefers. and these things don't even have to be approached from a
competitive point of view. soccer, basketball, etc have winners and losers. running? well, one
person wins the whole thing, but everyone else finishes, no matter where they place. and finishing
is a worthy goal for many.

Cam
 
AMH wrote:

> [email protected] (TopCounsel) wrote in message news:<20031230164904.15365.00002077@mb-
> m03.aol.com>...
>
>>Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some success in starting their young
>>kids with the running habit. My daughter has just reached 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit
>>as any other healthy person can. She knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to
>>join me.

Perhaps if you asked her?

> Keep in mind that "keeping it fun" and "age group medals" are almost mutally exclusive ideas.

I'd agree with this. I would think kids left to their own would be more into exploring things.
Although maybe with today's electronic "exploring", the tendency to go hiking or climb a real tree
is lost somewhere along the way.

Another thought - what does she tend to do on her own? Can you combine running and that? Make it an
adventure - walk / run in the local park. Like Andy said, fly a kite. Play frisbee - with the tosses
not right at the other person. Does "exercise" have to be running? Maybe there's some other, equally
beneficial activities that she might enjoy more to get started.

The things that I do today were things I started on my own. Of course, my parents tended to be on
the couch-potato side (so didn't encourage me in any direction pre-jr high) except they were scout
leaders and softball coaches when we needed them.

Dot

--
"Success is different things to different people" -Bernd Heinrich in Racing the Antelope
 
In article <[email protected]>,
TopCounsel <[email protected]> wrote:
>Would appreciate suggestions from running parents who've had some success in starting their young
>kids with the running habit. My daughter has just reached 6-1/2, and could use the exercise habit
>as any other healthy person can. She knows I do this in the mornings, but hasn't yet asked to join
>me. I know she kinda likes the idea of age-group medals, eating healthy food, being thin, etc., but
>I think I need a way to make it "fun" for her, and her mom doesn't run either. [If this isn't an
>invitation for trolls, I don't know what is.....oh well]. Any good experiences with this?

At that age, aim for being active and don't worry much about the sport. Running is fine, but
remember that she's going to be more running around than running as you're used to it. A situation
like a track, where she can run a while, walk a while, go examine dandelions a while -- and where
you can easily keep an eye on her -- is a good one. She can 'run with daddy' as much as she feels
like, which means as long as it's fun, but not be under pressure to keep to a pace or distance.

6 1/2 is also pretty young even to be thinking about 'being thin'. Never too early to work on 'eat
a good diet', but the 'thin' thing is way too easy to set up problems for later.

Generally, kids like 'special time' with their parents (individually). The running can be a place
for your special time with your daughter. Breakfast together afterwards, as tenkman mentioned, can
be an extension of this. It's worked for him with his kids.

--
Robert Grumbine http://www.radix.net/~bobg/ Science faqs and amateur activities notes and links.
Sagredo (Galileo Galilei) "You present these recondite matters with too much evidence and ease; this
great facility makes them less appreciated than they would be had they been presented in a more
abstruse manner." Two New Sciences
 
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