Exercise with young children

[BettyTheBadBitch]

Is this completely pointless?

Just tried to go for a little jog with my daughter (6yo) and she hated it! I thought it was mainly quite fun!

I've seen parents and dcs out for runs together and it always seems so lovely.

Maybe I need to try another sport or else admit defeat and just go on my own and let her do her own thing.

🤣🤣🤣 omg, she's just admitted that she didn't like it because I'm too slow

That's embarrassing 😂😂😂

I resorted to getting 6yo DC out on a bike with me. I have to push him up hills but he races away on the straights!

My kids have frequently complained I’m too slow . I shunted them off to junior parkrun so they could run on their own, and put up with several years of complaints at parkrun until they turned 11. Then they turned very supportive of pacing me, so we had a good few years of nice runs together - my son told me he liked doing parkrun with me because he got to see the nature.

Then the teen years hit! Much more reluctant to get up for 9.

Yes, she does junior park run with dh, who yes, is probably faster than me.

I'm a bit chubs and not that fast these days, but jeez! Harsh (but fair) from the 6yo.

Jogging is boring though! Why would a 6 yr old enjoy it?

Maybe try a different sort of running where you do sprint and then walk … interval training?? That might be more fun. Or as pp suggest, you run, they bike or scoot.

I manage to get my dc out running with me about once a year. Cycling a bit more often.

I exchange I spend several hours a week at the side of a frozen football pitch or archery field. Sadly, they’ve packed in swimming, which could do at the same time!

Do they do classes for parents and children? I can imagine her enjoying that if she sees other children with their mums and dads.

Probably not at the moment with covid etc, but maybe something to look into for future.

Fartlek type runs (lots of variation of speed) suit kids a lot more than steady running...

I do a lot of training to keep up with my now 6 year old! I can still keep going longer, just not after a tough day!

I think the issue with running with young children is they are quick, but only over a short distance. So it just doesn’t really work for most people.

You might have better luck with them on a bike and you running? Or I hope so anyway as I’m planning on trying that on Christmas Day.

Cycling, climbing and hill-walking work best with mine. Or me running while they're on bikes.

I don't own a bike, but dd does. Might try running with her on the bike, but then she'd definitely say I was too slow 😂

Not an everyday event, but we also love Go Ape etc. Maybe will try bouldering with her when she turns 7 (as that's the minimum age for bouldering near us)

@BettyTheBadBitch

Do they do classes for parents and children? I can imagine her enjoying that if she sees other children with their mums and dads.

Probably not at the moment with covid etc, but maybe something to look into for future.

Do you mean swimming classes? Once never seen adult and child ones, but I used to do lengths whilst they were on their lesson.

Fir a couple of glorious years, DS played football at the leisure centre for an hour once a week, and I managed to swim a mile between dropping him off and picking him up.

I meant more things like dance fitness classes, like Zumba or something. I don't think that's a thing though. I've seen family yoga sessions though, so maybe could do that together

Mine rarely have interest in "going for a run" with me but they do enjoy the junior parkruns where they can go at their own pace. I love it when the roster fills up and I can run with them... well DS1... DS2 is too fast at 2k. I like his 5k pace though

@BettyTheBadBitch

I meant more things like dance fitness classes, like Zumba or something. I don't think that's a thing though. I've seen family yoga sessions though, so maybe could do that together

There’s a organisation called “Family Fitness” near me, that does “boot camp” type activities for families in the park on a weekend. Try Googling “family fitness” and your area. I’m used to go to. Circuits class with ds shen he was 8/9.