Physical activity

[Wiped Out]

is such a good thing for difficult child. Day camp last week wore him out. They biked, skated, swam, and hiked. My difficult child is so out of shape that I worry he'll end up overdoing but he is really trying.

The camp counselors said he really struggled with the hike on Thursday. It was supposed to last only 1/2 hour to 45 minutes but then they took a wrong turn and it ended up being one and one half hours. They said he struggled but really hung in there.

On the weekends he has been going to the health club with husband and me. He never complains about the amount of time we spend there (anywhere from 40-90 minutes). He does a bit of weights with husband (drives poor husband crazy-bless husband because I couldn't do it) and then bikes, somedays faster than others because he watches cartoons while he bikes.

Just wanted to share because it is nice to see difficult child invovled in something positive!

 

[TerryJ2]

Cool! That is wonderful!
I love the part about biking fast or slow while watching cartoons.
Is he overwt? I can't remember.
Wearing kids out--even if they're not g'sfg--is so important.

 

[maril]

Wow! What a busy week. It is great that your family goes to the club together and your husband works with your son.

 

[Wiped Out]

Terry-he is overweight for his height. He is 56 inches tall and 111 pounds. He is in the 85th percentile for weight and 20th percentile for height. The doctor doesn't seem overly concerned. He says difficult child is the right weight for his age and should shoot up at some point.

Maril-It was a busy week for difficult child! As for going to the health club with the family, it is actually where husband and I met (long story). husband does a lot with difficult child to the point that husband is often the only person he wants helping him with anything! Now if we could only get easy child to the club. She doesn't need it weight wise but I think it would do wonders for her moods.

He had a busy day at camp hiking today. He has been sleeping since 7:30 he is so exhausted.

 

[timer lady]

Sharon, I love that kind of exhaustion in a kid. Especially in a difficult child kid. No need to give PRN sleep medications.

kt has not been her usual active self ~ would rather read or be on the computer. I have to demand that she get out & on her bike or walking for a good hour (if not more ~ PCA can motivate kt). Grief comes into play this summer though.

I'm so glad that difficult child is getting this ~ I hope he has a body awareness of how good this is for him.

 

[klmno]

I'm glad to hear he's trying and that he goes to the gym with you. I agree that he'll start shooting up at any time now.

As far as activities, we had started a brainstorming list that difficult child or I either one could add to. If difficult child mentioned that he wished he knew how to play tennis, tennis lessons went on the list, for example. I added affordable things I saw going on at the YMCA or our local parks & rec. Then periodically, I would tell difficult child that he had to pick something for summer, or whatever, from the list. The idea behind this was that it went over much smoother with him than just telling him that he had to get involved in something and him automatically saying he didn't want to. Actually, people here contribute to the ideas!

I noticed our YMCA had one day camp specifically for middle schoolers and they did field trips almost every day instead of the typical camp activities that most the kids were getting tired of. The advaantage of this was that difficult child stayed excited about the theme park, visit to the beach, whatever, and never thought about how much walking and other physical activity he was really participating in! LOL!

 

[compassion]

This is so important. Yesterday difficult child kayaked 7 miles with a friend and her family.
My hope was for a physical summer for difficult child. I have always supported that. She has refused anything structured, organized, supervised or requiring an appointment.. She really is not able to do the volleyball camp. She chooses not to do the kayak and waterski camp. They even have free membership to health club for teens this summer. She has swam a few times, played tennis. The social is most important to her currently.
I am putting my focus on other aspects of her health:therapist and this week birth control walk in clinic.
Compassion