By Lisa Landrum, Founder of Forward Motion CLT
Kids, can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em. What are we going to do with these (not so little) humans who eat all of our food, use all of our money, provide endless amounts of joy and pain, and lay around on our sofas….
WAIT, that last one: we can do something about that!
The stereotypical teenager is one that lives with many of us. As the mom of two of them, and one not far behind, I know firsthand how difficult it is to motivate them to m o v e , especially in these days of remote learning and paused school sports. It’s like Newton’s First Law: An object at rest stays at rest. Just take a look at your teen sitting all day in front of a computer, then moving maybe to the kitchen to eat and sit, then maybe to the sofa to peruse the captivating stuff on the phone and…guess what?…sit, or maybe lay, some more.
There’s a second part of that law, though, and that’s the part that says that an object in motion stays in motion. Get. Them. Moving. That’s the part we want to focus on, that’s the part we can help. We, as adults, know that we feel better when we move. We know the positive impact that running, in particular, has had on our lives and well-being. Don’t even get me started on the mental benefits, but you could probably ask my family what I’m like if I don’t get out for a run.
How do we do that with a group that thinks everything that parents say is the dumbest thing, like, ever?
Lead by example
Monkey see, monkey do. Even if they seem completely disinterested in what you or any other adult for that matter, is doing, they are always watching. If we regularly move our bodies, running, walking, hiking, get OFF the couch, they will learn that is something successful humans do.
Start Small
Warning: you will be excited to get your child off and running. You may be disappointed when they get up, lace up, and just go for one loop around the block (it’s so short!), but encourage them to keep it up. Starting out with small increments of exercise is a good way to keep them invested and not burn them out right out of the gate. They can’t, and won’t, and shouldn’t go for a 5 mile run on day 1. They would hate you and be sore and not ever want to take another step again.
A little bit about Lisa Landrum, Founder
Lisa Landrum understands the value of running is personal. For some it’s about taking the first step. For others, it’s a PR. Lisa meets runners wherever they are on their unique journey and passionately gives them tools to move forward.
From the first mile to the 1000th, the goal of Forward Motion is to keep running simple and pure. They help runners move along their journey as mentally and physically strong as possible in a way that can be enjoyed to its fullest.
Services are customized to your needs. Training for an upcoming race? They’ll create a plan. Want specific tips and exercises to make you stronger? Meet the team for a few sessions.
If you are a youth athlete who wants to improve your conditioning and running, Forward Motion CLT has you covered with their FMXC sessions.
Listen to our Smarty Podcast with Lisa here!
