The Family Walks.

Walk Together/Talk Together

It’s fun, it’s the easiest way for for all the family to get fit together. Escape from the stresses and strains of modern indoor life-the television, the telephone, the computer, the feeling of living on top of each other – and get outside in the open air and walk together.

   ‘Walking is an exercise, available to everybody. I encourage regular family walks –at least a half an hour a day. It’s a good way to spend time with your kids and a healthy habits, says Dr Leo Galland, an international nutrition expert.

     In our modern urban society, families are spending less time together. Jobs often force parents into long hours commuting; children are in school much of the day; parents and children are involved in separate activities in the evening. As a result, meals are eaten separately and there is little interaction and communication between family members.  

           Even exercise can get in the way of family interaction, with dad going for a agame of squash and mum off to an aerobics class, children’s fitness is often ignored, with parents thinking that the school will look after it. And as we have already seen, this is far from the truth.

      The answer to the problem is for families to find ways of being together – to share common experiences and co-operate with each other. Often it’s difficult to find an activity which all the family can do together. Not everyone has the same skills and motivation to play ball games or take part in sports activities, but one activity that everyone can take part in is a family walk.

         Walking is the only activity where everyone starts out on an equal footing! After all, we all walk, even our grandparents, so it’s just a master of getting the family together and deciding to walk regularly.

    Walking is one of the few physical activities that lets you concentrate as much on each other as on exercise. Not only will walking build a strong healthy body but it will also build a strong, healthy family bond.

       Whether your goal is get the family talking together or to get them active, the key is to make it fun. Kids often have a short attention span so it’s essential to vary your walks so that they don’t get bored and want to give up. When it comes to fitness, boredom is one of the biggest excuses for people giving up. So you must make it fun. The following are fun ways in which you can keep your children’s interest:

·         Tell your kids ahead of time so that can look forward to a special outing. Anticipation keeps kids’ attention and they be more motivated to walk when the time arrives.

·         Vary the route as much as possible. Alternate walks in the local neighbourhood with walks to the park, and trips to the countryside or seaside at weekends when you have more time.

·         Nature walks, both in town and countryside, can provide an opportunity for kids to look, find and learn more about the world around them. Spotting birds and identifying flowers and trees are all ways to heighten children’s aware-ness and appreciation of their environment. On their walks they can learn more about the weather, history, geography, vegetation, science and animals.

·         Walk to a surprise destination – a zoo or a playground, or visit a castle or museum. For a treat, let your kids decide where they would like to walk. Let them take a friend with them.

·         Bridge the generation gap-take grandma and granddad. A family walk provides time and relaxation for everyone to get together and share experiences.

      Walking is an activity that can be enjoyed every day and kids should be encouraged to walk most days. Any amount of walking, however short, is healthy and is better than no exer-cise, but too much soon can result in sore muscles and a loss of enthusiasm.

     Kids should build up their walking gradually, increasing the speed and length a little at a time. At first, it is more important to walk regularly than to try and walk too far. Slower, long walks can be alternated with faster, short walks, giving low and high intensity workouts. Kids, like adults, should warm-up before walking briskly. The best warm-up is slow walking.                                                                                                                                                                                            

                    Walk with your family- you’ll rediscover your feet and you’ll rediscover each other. The family that walks together talks together.