Introduction
Parents influence their children's lifestyles through modeling and support, which modifies how children approach physical activity. In so doing, this systematic review is aimed to determine the impact of parental involvement on children's active lifestyles and influence of parenting styles on the children's practice and motivation toward physical activity, according to the study conducted, Influence of parental involvement and parenting styles in children's active lifestyle: a systematic review listed in National Library of Medicine. Children who notice that their parents have fitness habits and health-conscious eating can make the right changes. Exercise with the entire family, prioritize healthy meals, and encourage living active lifestyles when building a platform for your kids' lifelong success in fitness. Here are some ways parents influence children's levels of fitness as part of your own lifestyle.
Healthy example through frequent exercising
Children pick the habits which are set from childhood by them as well as by observing what their mother or father is doing. If parents make time for physical activity, whether it's morning yoga, evening walks, or weekend sports, kids are more likely to do the same. Regular exercise promotes fitness but also normalizes the idea that movement is an essential part of daily life. In India, where outdoor play can sometimes be restricted due to space or safety concerns, parents can introduce home workouts, dancing, or local community fitness activities.
Promoting Active Play Rather than Screen Time
In today's digital world, children are exposed to various forms of digital distractions, which may lead to spending hours in front of the screen. Parents who set boundaries on TV, gaming, and mobile usage and encourage active play ensure their children are more active. Cycling, skipping rope, or playing cricket in the park can make children physically active. Making weekend outings more fitness-focused, such as visiting parks or hiking helps instill long-term activity habits.
Engagement with Children's Sporting Events
Most Indians focus more on academics rather than extracurricular activities. However, participation in sporting activities by kids by enrolling them in swimming lessons, badminton clubs, or school-level competitions would increase their fitness level. Supporting and attending their games, cheering for them, or even engaging in a sport with them shows the importance of being fit. Children are more confident and motivated if their parents show interest in sports.
Prioritizing Home Cooked Nutritious Meals
Food plays the most important role in children's fitness levels. In most Indian families, meals are homemade, yet packaged snack foods and sweet beverages are increasingly common. Parents who focus on wholesome fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein sources build a solid nutritional base for their children. Parents can help their children understand the value of homemade cooking with healthy ingredients, reduce their junk food consumption, and instill balanced eating habits in childhood.
Fitness can be a bonding activity for families
Parents engaging in fitness during family time ensure that there is a culture of movement. Weekends are trekking, cycling around the neighborhood, or taking part in a yoga session. Children then understand exercise as enjoyable and social and not a task. In India, cultural activities like folk dances (Garba, Bhangra, Kathak) may also be involved in family fitness, ensuring that children are always active while holding on to the culture.
Developing Routine as a Sense of Discipline
A child's habitual exercise patterns become effective if such patterns are incorporated into the child's routine of daily life. Indian families take children to visit temples, mosques, and other places of worship on certain days and while doing so walk a long distance. Incorporating these natural forms of movement into everyday schedules ensures kids maintain regular physical activity without feeling forced.
Teaching the Importance of Mental and Physical Wellness
Fitness is not only about physical strength but is also associated with mental health. Parents using mindfulness, meditation, or other stress-reduction techniques instruct their children to handle wellness holistically. One powerful tool for both physical fitness and mental relaxation is yoga; traced back to Indian roots. Teaching children how to exercise and combine schoolwork with playtime, rest, and exercise helps meet a proper balance in fitness.
Promoting Activity in Daily Life
Fitness is not always about formal exercise; daily activities can be very effective in promoting an active lifestyle. Encouraging children to walk or cycle to nearby places, participate in household chores, or help in gardening ensures that they are always engaged in physical activity. In Indian homes, activities such as floor-sitting meals, manual grinding of spices, or participating in cultural dance festivals can all be incorporated into a fitness-oriented lifestyle, making movement a natural part of their day.
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
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