Isolation screen time increased a bit for your kids?? You’re not alone - this is a must read to sneak some great exercises into gaming time!

Brussel sprouts.

I hate them and have so very much since an early age.

My mum tried her best (and sometimes her worst) to get me eating them, amongst other less favorable vegies, to no avail. Why? They are boring, almost tasteless foods that offer no stimulation to my taste buds.

One day, however, after I neatly polished offer the second serving of my favorite meal (being Lasagna) my mum had the smuggest of grins directed straight at me.

“What’s up?” I enquired in my 9 year old monotone. “Oh nothing special,” my mum boasted. “other than you just ate a large serving of brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrot and a few other vegies!”.

“What!?!?” I raised the monotone an octave, “that’s not fair!!!” was all I could muster.

Yes as parents we’ve all “ninja’d” a vegetable or three into our kids meals without them even having the slightest fog. A trick that almost comes instinctively as we learn the unenvious craft of parenting.

Now….. where is this leading?

A good question to ask as I’m typing away with homeschooled kids yelling at me for SOMETHING TO EAT!!

This leads to human nature - we WANT to do the things that give us endorphins through instant gratification (hormones that give us that ‘feel good kick’). Sadly for most kids vegetables DO NOT tick that box and when it comes to physical activity NEITHER DO STRETCHES.

For most, STRETCHING is one of the most boring and unrewarding forms of activity as it takes time and focus. You don’t get puffed or see an instant result - it just hurts.

So for (ne: most) kids STRETCHING is the activity equivalent of vegetables - we know they are really good for us in many ways and so very important to health but man super boring and so many ‘better’ things to replace them!!

As kids grow their skeletons grow physically faster than the muscles can keep up with, resulting generally in poor postural flexibility through spine and into the legs.

Now…… we are in isolation. Physical activity for all humans has taken an unprecedented downward spiral ESPECIALLY in our children in terms of STRUCTURED, PHYSICAL MOVEMENT that would usually be delivered at school.

Screen time has jumped significantly and if your kids are anything like mine - probably more than we are usually comfortable with.

My 9 year old has become somewhat obsessive playing FORTNITE and before you judge me he plays with a bunch of his mates from his new school so we can justify minutely via the ‘social’ interaction it enables (cue hand on face emoji).

Which means he spends time looking like this:

Head awkward, shoulders slouched, lower back and core not even engaged. Very poor promotion of posture indeed.

Posture 1.jpg

Gaming Posture

slouched neck, slumped shoulders and no core

However, if you have access to a wall or straight back edge of the couch it doesn’t have to be this way - there are a few simple gaming slouch hacks to promote healthy posture and flexibility WHILST that screen time is in full swing!! Let’s call it the hiding veges in lasagna program!

Be warned though - whether it’s GAMER BUTT BRAIN, FORTNITE FUDGE or IPAD ICANTTHINK; kids will lose focus quickly so a parent needs to be hovering to correct or change position. Nice upright posture, shoulders pinned back, belly tucked in and legs in good position!

Try these positions next time the screen is on and controller is in hands, even if it ever so slightly helps justify keeping kids occupied while mum and dad try to find their own fitness time!

PS - my wife still smuggles brussel sprouts into the lasagna :)

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