ESPMany teens have spare time during the holiday season. Keeping them off the couch and focused away from their screens can be frustrating. Here are some ideas on how to keep your young adult from becoming a couch potato over the next few weeks.
Most teens do not need to hit the gym every day during the holidays but keeping them moving during their down time from school is important according to health experts.
Any movement that they can get during this time is great. Get them to stand up and move at least every thirty minutes. That might be stretching, rotating, squatting down, or simply walking around the house. It can be a 10-minute walk out in the cold, crisp air. Take advantage of any opportunity to take little movement breaks.
And keep it fun. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. Think about when we were kids, exercise was what we did when we went out and met up with friends. Today, teens spend more time in front of their phones than anywhere else. Embrace it by asking them to install a fitness app and develop an award system for them to stay motivated. For example, reaching 10,000 steps a day for thirty days might mean a nice contribution to their ‘first car fund.’ (Just make them show you their step tracker.)
