Aibu to think that a pedometer isn't appropriate for children?

[Fruitteatime]

DD 8 seems to have a lot of children at school who have smart watches with pedometers. I understand that it can be used to encourage physical activity but I'm worried it could be used to obsession and encourages more use of tech when she'd be better off enjoying walks and activities without being worried about if she's doing enough steps. The school have also done a topic on healthy eating this year and I've noticed her and some of her friends are now checking the traffic light system of foods for sugar (as I think it was talked about from a teeth perspective). Again I'm not all that comfortable with this because I think at her age it's still parents responsibility to offer healthy foods rather than for her to become anxious about and could lead into more dangerous behaviours as a teenager if it becomes a habit.

I wondered if anyone knew of any research into this. If anyone's child at this age (around 8) had/has a smart watch/pedometer, did it have a negative or positive influence? DD really wants one (and a games console- but we don't have the money for this) and hasn't asked for much else for Christmas but equally I know as a parent it's down to me to enforce boundaries on things that aren't acceptable to me. I'm wondering if I'm being at all rational in my thinking as I do overthink things!

Not a bad idea but they lose interest and forget to sync them/ charge them. The watch starts to lose time when it's not synced and /or spends most of its days uncharged in a drawer somewhere. That's my experience with two 8-10yos.

I think its a good idea and wouldn’t object to my Dd getting one. I am generally more active after getting mine (still fat though). Weirdly also developed a love of going for walks. I thought I didn’t like them before but turns out I do.

The food thing not so sure about though.

My son got one when he was 5. It’s a garmin one so just does steps and the time really. He has worn it every day for the last 3 years and never once “worried” about how many steps he’s getting, just likes telling us the total sometimes! Great for his maths as he could read high numbers early on!

We do competitions between different family members and have a few “all-time record” step days out which we all remember very fondly. I can’t think of a better Christmas present he’s had really!

If closer to teen years then get a proper GPS running watch if they are likely to get into training properly. I use the garmin 45. Started with parkrun, did a marathon this year! Currently £110 at John Lewis. My 9 year old nephew bought a similar garmin second hand.

Yes of course. Many many things would be worse. But that doesn't make this good!

I remember a child I once taught suddenly started getting out of his seat - sharpen his pencil, get a tissue, put his tissue in the bin, etc.

It turned out he had a fitbit and needed to get his steps up.

I meant to quote this post!

Oh, looks like I can't quote other posts. It was in reply to the poster who said that constant gaming and snacking would be worse.

It concerns me that many children are growing up needing a device to tell them what to do!

@Tal45

Kids looking to reduce sugar in their diet is a really good thing. Processed sugar isn't needed in the diet at all, there are much healthier carbs. It's great that she's already aware and looking into it. It's good that the focus was on sugar and not fat - that I think could cause problems not least because a lot of low fat options are full of sugar but also because some fat is needed.

A pedometer is also great especially if it encourages them to walk more - they get bored of it after a while though.

TBH it sounds like you're a quite anxious over thinker. As someone who comes from a family like that I'd say you are probably the most likely thing to make your dd over anxious too. Might be nature, might be nurture but does tend to run in families.

Is there anything I can do to change that?

My DC are both very sporty anyway and have both enjoyed having a pedometer aged 8 or so (older DD can't be bothered with one now). Neither have become obsessive abut it, they're both quite competitive so like to see if they've walked more than me and DH.

@Werehamster

Agreed but that's not the alternative in our house, she does extracurricular activities five times a week!

But not many parents can afford this and can manage it with work and family commitments, so you are extremely privileged. For many kids, they don't have these kinds of opportunities but encouraging things like healthy eating and walking are a cheaper, easier alternative.

We are quite privileged, though it does come with a cost as I work 3 days a week with one of those days being a weekend day so we only get half a weekend of family time and my dp works five days a week. We moved away from family for work so no we don't have those commitments frequently but equally we don't have regular support either. I'm not saying we aren't privileged, I'm just trying to give some context as to why dd gets to do all her clubs. Equally she's at the heavier end of the centiles, so I have encouraged her to start those clubs (one is not sport though the rest are). So equally I could give up my weekend part of my job and we'd have time for walks but then we wouldn't have the money for DD to do clubs...

If my grandson had a pedometer it would probably break from over use.

So I do seem to he in minority. OCD runs in my family so I guess I worry that might have an influence on DD.

Looking at some options for watches this afternoon, they all seem to need a smart phone and they all seem to measure calories burned. Does anyone have one that doesn't do this? The calories bit is more concerning to me as previously mentioned they've become more aware of food labelling from school and worries DD will make this link.

They can be good. DS2 'hated' walking until I got a pedometer. He put it on one day and refused to stop walking for hours. After a few weeks, he just loved walking and still does, ten years later.It was what he needed to get the habit. He still checks his steps on his phone.

DD2 has the fitbit ace (kids one). She bought it with birthday money for about £50.

If you change the strap it looks just like the adults 'inspire'
It counts steps but not calories
You have to link it to a device but you can link it to an adults device, even if you have a you own fit bit connected.

As others have said, she frequently forgets to charge it

I think it's important to know about these things. I had some really good friends in middle school who went from being slim girls who ate any and everything (including vast amounts of sweets and sugary drinks) who suddenly piled on weight in high school and struggled for years as a result.
They had to completely change their life styles and eating habits. One was successful in losing weight and one wasn't.

I wouldn't worry about primary age kids getting fixated on calories on the watch. I'd be very impressed if they could work out the food intake to equate to calories burned. I struggle with calories vs Kcal and school meals don't publish the energy content do they?

Let alone how crazy inaccurate smart watches are at estimating energy used.

DDs changed her mind anyway. As pp have mentioned they do get discarded after a while and her friends no longer have them at school so she isn't really interested anymore. Back to the drawing board for a present for her

It's just a bit of fun and I would get the cheap version I do think your over thinking it but, I can also see why.

Forwarded is forearmed, OP. Nothing wrong with a school teaching kids how to check what's in their food.

*forewarned