How to get screen addicted lard arses fit

[FussArse]

I know this may seem relatively trivial but I'm feeling down and useless about it so please be gentle.

So - 3 boys 17, 16, 11.

None have ever been interested in the sports they've tried - football, rugby, cricket, rowing, swimming. Neither DH nor I was any good at sport at school but I loved running and aerobics as an adult until dodgy knees, pelvis and car shunt put paid to that. DH likes a run and the gym.

Kids are resistant to anything that gets them a bit out of puff. They will walk mountains, do a family (ie not that strenuous) bike ride and older 2 will go to gym with DH if he tells them they are All except the gym are relatively season/ weather dependent.

The eldest and youngest are overweight and all would spend 24/7 in front of screens if allowed. We have to remind them to do everything eg music practice, cleaning teeth and I'm getting sick of it.

They are lovely kids really but I'm having a real 'OMG how did we let them get like this' mood.

We've tried to sort things out before but not been consistent enough to make things 'stick'.

I want them to be able to self-regulate screens/exercise - especially the older ones - so taking screens away entirely isn't the answer. We tried it once and as soon as they were 'back' the buggers were getting up in the middle of the night to use them again.

Any ideas please?

What do you do with them as a family?
A lot of families who are successful in getting their teens to exercise have family sports. Off the top of my head; rugby, distance walking, cycling, badminton, swimming.
In my family it was sailing when I was a child, now with my two, we do a lot of walking between 5-10 miles, as well as the individual sport that mine have as a hobby.
It's not much use trying to motivate a couch potato if you don't lead by example, with something they can join in with.

As I said, we walk when we can - 5 miles+ usually coastal / mountains. DH takes older boys to gym - youngest not allowed in. We go cycling. These are weather dependant apart from the gym.

I wasn't aware that families can play rugby together - how does that work? It sounds interesting.

My friend banned her husband and three teens from playing it in the house, but they used to play for a local team and practise a lot on the common and in their garden.
Don't see why walking is dependent on the weather unless it's extreme conditions.
Do they belong to any groups like scouts?

DS has just suggested a Wii fit for them!

Oh I thought you meant families played matches together LOL. An interesting idea, though!

DH has, to his credit, tried many times to get them to have a knockabout in the park but it's like torture to them. They HATE it. I think it reminds them how rubbish they are at team sports.

Family hikes in the rain - nope - though they like them otherwise.

The older 2 have just returned from their gold and silver d of e expeditions via Explorers and the youngest is just back from scout camp so that base is covered.

We have a wii fit which I sometimes use but they think it's lame.

We've had a 'talk' and I've asked them to come up with some activities that they want to try and a figure for how many hours would be reasonable screen time during the holidays.

I have exactly the same problem with my DS - 11YO. I feel as if I'm pulling him along behind me constantly - we walk the dog each day for an hour, and each day it's a torture to get him moving. He doesn't like sports, doesn't like team games - we've tried all sorts - trampolining, swimming, horseriding, tennis, but he HATES anything that involves exercise, and LOVES anything involving screens.

Screen time is limited to 2 hours per day, but he's happy just to lie about and read books when not glued to a computer/PS/TV.

OP - you have my sympathies.

My DS doesn't have any siblings, so I think that makes it a bit harder in a way (but at least he doesn't have others reinforcing his attitude!), but I'm watching with interest - ANY tips welcome here too! -

14 and 16 year old DSs here and I have a similar problem. DS1 does athletics, rowing and the occasional swim. DS2 does rowing and the odd swim. Over the years with DS2 in particular there is no sport left untried. Both do some exercises with weights.

In between however they are supreme couch potatoes. I feel I have spent my entire life nagging them to move.
The good thing is that they have both got bored with the x box, it now gathers dust. They play endless PC games or watch tv or You Tube. Both like to read.
We have a ping pong table in the house which gets used several times a day.

I find giving them chores to do gets them out the house pretty quickly

Fuss Do you live anywhere near an indoor climbing wall/centre? Ds did a taster session a couple of years ago and really enjoys it. He goes with his friend but unfortunately our local centre needs them to be 16 before they can belay for each other so DH has to go with them at the moment, but at some places it is 14 (they need to pass an assessment 1st - but doesn't take long to learn).
Ds is also addicted to PS3/comouter games/You Tube videos, and only moves from them when I drag him to the gym or he is being paid to do some household task such as mow the lawns!

Thanks for your replies.
They didn't come up with anything concrete last night - more 'oh it'll be different times depending on how much exercise we do' - yeah, right and who's going to monitor that. We've tried it before and it just doesn't work.

We'll be talking again when DH comes home this evening.

Danny I did get them 'gardening' for a few hours this morning. This mainly consisted of eldest doing sterling work cutting trees and shredding and younger 2 working out ways of doing everything at the slowest pace possible. Such conservation of energy will serve them well if they should - heaven forbid - find themselves in a famine situation.

Interesting thought Bigbluebus DS2 chose that for his birthday and enjoyed it. Will have a looky.

When they go out somewhere, how do they get there? Do they walk or do you give them a lift?

My non sporty son spends whole days and the occasional weekend camping outside doing this www.spearheadlrp.co.uk/.
There are numerous systems of LARP ( live action role play ) around the country www.larpevents.co.uk/.
It is quite strenuous and seems to appeal to those who also enjoy on line gaming - lots of rules ,categories ,fighting .