I have a 12 year old son who is funny, sensitive and intelligent. He has a group of friends who share his interests in video and table-top games and geeky internet jokes. He likes to learn about math, money, science, and ok, really it's all math in different disguises, actually. But that's fine!
I share custody of my son with his dad. We have a crazy set-up where we see him nearly every day--his dad takes him to school and I take him home from school or afterschool activities each night. He sleeps three nights at one house and four at the other house each week.
My son was a slightly low-tone baby who walked late. His fine motor skills have always outstripped his gross motor skills by a lot. He doesn't like competitive games because he's not very good at them. He also doesn't approve of people being too rough and tumble.
At his pediatrician appointment, he was not overweight or too thin, not having any problems... but his doctor was concerned that he doesn't do much physical play. So am I.
I often pick him up on a tandem bike from school, or we walk. I like to swim, I go to a health club, I bike for transportation, and I do yoga. (I used to be more disciplined about it, but I still do some.) His dad does yoga sometimes (he also used to be more disciplined, and actually got very advanced for awhile) and sometimes goes hiking. When we were married, I did a lot more exercise than my ex did, because I am on the fat side and he's naturally slim, so I try harder.
Overall, we are relatively sedentary adults, but we are much more active than our son. Neither of us has a great idea of how to involve our kid in what we do.
We're thinking of bringing him to a kid's running club and trying a rock-climbing gym. How can we help our son find an activity that he really likes, preferably a non-competitive one, that will give him a habit of physical activity? Yoga practice? Walking? Biking? I think if we have to take him to make him do it, we aren't succeeding. What can we do with a kid this age in this tricky situation?
I share custody of my son with his dad. We have a crazy set-up where we see him nearly every day--his dad takes him to school and I take him home from school or afterschool activities each night. He sleeps three nights at one house and four at the other house each week.
My son was a slightly low-tone baby who walked late. His fine motor skills have always outstripped his gross motor skills by a lot. He doesn't like competitive games because he's not very good at them. He also doesn't approve of people being too rough and tumble.
At his pediatrician appointment, he was not overweight or too thin, not having any problems... but his doctor was concerned that he doesn't do much physical play. So am I.
I often pick him up on a tandem bike from school, or we walk. I like to swim, I go to a health club, I bike for transportation, and I do yoga. (I used to be more disciplined about it, but I still do some.) His dad does yoga sometimes (he also used to be more disciplined, and actually got very advanced for awhile) and sometimes goes hiking. When we were married, I did a lot more exercise than my ex did, because I am on the fat side and he's naturally slim, so I try harder.
Overall, we are relatively sedentary adults, but we are much more active than our son. Neither of us has a great idea of how to involve our kid in what we do.
We're thinking of bringing him to a kid's running club and trying a rock-climbing gym. How can we help our son find an activity that he really likes, preferably a non-competitive one, that will give him a habit of physical activity? Yoga practice? Walking? Biking? I think if we have to take him to make him do it, we aren't succeeding. What can we do with a kid this age in this tricky situation?