What's the best way to motivate a couch potato child who doesn't want to exercise

asks Tony B:

A. The easiest way is to take some exercise yourself. If you usually spend all your spare time sitting on the sofa watching TV, you can't expect your children to do anything different. Studies show that children who have active parents are seven times more likely to be active themselves.

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Q. But when I was a child I was out all the time - why don't kids today do the same
A. This is the couch potato generation with their TVs, video games and computers. Be honest: if you'd had Playstation 2 when you were 10, would you have gone out to kick a football around your back garden after school

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Q. So it's just a generation thing: he doesn't need to exercise
A. No, he really needs to exercise. Lack of activity, combined with a modern, processed, high-fat, high-sugar diet is turning today's children into the obese, unhealthy adults of tomorrow. According to the Obesity Resource Information Centre, more than 20% of six-year-olds in this country are already overweight. As well as ensuring his future health, helping your son to get fit also gives him an interest outside the home and can really boost his self-esteem.

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Q. So what can I do
A. For a start, you have to show that activity is fun. Take him to the park or the beach, well away from the TV and computer. Kick a ball about, have a race, run along the water's edge. Or you could walk to school with him - make it brisk and you'll be getting a decent amount of exercise, too.
Find a sport that he likes to watch on TV - take him to see it being played, or get him to join a club where he can learn to play it, too.
Instead of computer games, buy him sports equipment for birthdays and Christmas.
Find an interesting swimming pool - one with extra features such as flumes or waves, and take the family along.
What about martial arts, such as judo and karate As well as keeping your son fit, they are a great way to use energy in a disciplined way.
Finally, restrict the time he spends in front of TV or on computers. Without such distractions, most kids find something else to do.

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Do you have a good idea for motivating a child to exercise Post it here

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By Sheena Miller