<p>Just wondering - how do you ‘ask’ a 14-15 year old to get up and work out and exercise? I have one that just sits in front of the computer all day, he is even eating meals right there. Academically he is advanced, and he does a lot of reading and math online, but I do wish he gets up once in a while and runs around the block. Tried several things, nothing works. Just waiting for school to start next week, but even then after school, I know he is going to park himself in front of the computer for five straight hours, get his homework done and other work and what not and then bed.
Last week, at his physical, the doctor said that his growth curve took a dramatic dip in percentile, meaning he grew very little in the past year and I am worried about that. Only heard of growth spurts for teenagers, not a growth dip!( suspect that it happened because of his sitting habits - this is going on for the past year)
BTW, if his buddies in the neighborhood come knocking on the door, he does hang out with them and play basket ball… he is very social and all that, but this is occasional.
Please let me know if anything worked for you in getting your teens get up and get some fresh air.</p>
<p>Pull the plug - literally. </p>
<p>Communicate to him that he needs to get out and do something other than sit in front of the computer. Even if it’s just for a short time.</p>
<p>I have one that is a perpetual couch potato. Depending on your school, they actually do get a bit of activity during the day changing classes. I think we added up about 2miles a day of walking.</p>
<p>I know it is easy for another parent to say, but I would offer the following:
- No meals at the computer or in front of the TV. It leads to unhealthy habits later. Meals are in the kitchen. At the table or at a stool at a kitchen island doesn’t make a difference. If your family eats at various times because of schedules, sit in the kitchen with your teen when he eats, even if you are not. Have a conversation.
- Limit computer time. This is up to you. It is understandable that you feel some of it is ‘good’ computer time due to reading & math done online. Take this into consideration.
- Tell him while he is in your home he will be physically active in some way. It is his choice how. Give him some reasonable options. Walk x times/week. Play bball x times/week. Let him choose but tell him it is non-negotiable. If he doesn’t comply, no computer. You can’t ‘make’ him do something, however you can take things away.</p>
<p>You are the parent here. It is not a matter of a teen being overweight, as many 14yo see it. It is a matter of health. If you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, let him know. I have had this battle.</p>
<p>I do not have knowledge about effects on growth. Ask your Dr if you are concerned.</p>
<p>Do you have a dog? I know I need to exercise more, and my son does too, so sometimes I phrase it as “I really need help to get moving - will you come walk the dogs with me?” </p>
<p>Other things that work for us: (son is 16 now) - he plays tennis, as does his dad and sister and several friends, has lettered the past two years. It’s a sport that doesn’t rely on size/build as much as some, and can be played your whole life. </p>
<p>Son also does musicals and our director started doing “conditioning” - they come to school early and work out so they can dance and sing without getting out of breath. He doesn’t like working out, but he loves hanging out with his theatre friends so it’s okay.</p>
<p>He also plays football/basketball with kids from church doing pick-up games.</p>
<p>Another tip: If you are out together doing errands, intentionally park farther away and do more walking.</p>
<p>It’s something I struggle with too. I work two jobs and when I get home, I don’t feel like moving that much. What’s worse is that my husband (who is unemployed) is a fitness nut and doesn’t seem to understand that I’m tired and don’t have hours to devote to a fitness regime like he does.</p>
<p>did pediatrician suggest a follow up? I don’t think sitting makes you stop growing. Maybe there is an underlying problem.</p>
<p>Is your son fat? Is he unhealthy? If not, then let him do what he wants. I sit down on the computer a lot, but a walked a lot in college and high school. Just because you always see him sitting does not mean he is not an active person.</p>
<p>My S was much like that in high school. And he was starting to have a bit of a weight problem (more because grandma, who lived with us, pushed junk food on him).</p>
<p>He seems to have outgrown it towards the end of his senior year. He got his drivers license, so he was more motivated to go out and do things. He got a job. And video games did have a negative impact on his high school academics, and I think he realizes it.</p>
<p>As a sign that maybe there is a God, his xbox died a week ago. So that won’t be making the trip to college. :)</p>
<p>If my brother or I were like that, my parents would take away all electronics, including phone, laptop, computer, handheld games (ie. DS), xbox, anything that we seemed to be ‘addicted’ to. We were allowed to use computers at school (no way to monitor that anyway) but our schools had strict restrictions so we couldn’t access email or game sites from school.</p>
<p>We basically had to give up lunches to type up homework and such.</p>
<p>We were also not allowed to have these items back until we proved ourselves more responsible. If you think phones are a necessity, give your child a pre-paid phone and make him pay for it. That will limit the amount of phone use.</p>
<p>I know it sounds harsh, but it really has curbed the use of technology my brother and I would have used. We also learned that there are ways to get by in life without the internet or without talking to our friends 24/7 by texting.</p>
<p>“did pediatrician suggest a follow up? I don’t think sitting makes you stop growing. Maybe there is an underlying problem.”</p>
<p>^ this. </p>
<p>PS You can’t MAKE people do things, you CAN take away, but incentives work better in the long run. Especially if they are internalized. Rewards USUALLY work better than punishment, but require more time and thought. It often helps to reserve “punishment” for a short list of intolerable behaviors ( i.e. thou shalt not kill…")</p>
<p>More physical activity “earns” more desired activity, i.e. microsoft points for x box live.</p>
<p>It’s not just semantics. </p>
<p>Also, sounds like my D with her reading and writing. </p>
<p>Also, see if there is a way to increase the rate of friends coming by.</p>
<p>^ Ahhh, this must be the flaw in my parenting skills. Thanks shrink. I knew I was feeling incompetent today.</p>
<p>I think everyone needs to learn a sport or physical activity that they LIKE or else it’s a chore and one will not stick with it. There really is such a sport or activity for everyone if they are motivated to look and find it. Might take a few tries to find it but its important. </p>
<p>Nagging someone to run around the block is not going to change anything. So I think the key is lay down the line and ask him to CHOOSE one sport or physical activity for this coming term (at school, in the community, on his own) that he will do at least 3 times a week or else no X (fill in the blank). </p>
<p>On the other issue, growth charts are about percentiles. Kids grow at very different rates from their peers so they aren’t going to maintain the same percentile consistently. So if he had a spurt out of synch with his peers last year, tis year it could appear he has fallen down a bit on the growth curve. I would not worry about it at all.</p>
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<p>^I agree.</p>
<p>Can you get him to join any type of sports team? Even if he refuses a hs team, how about something through the town, YMCA or some such place, even a gym membership?</p>
<p>My son was involved in a spring sport. During the winter he did work out at home so that he would not be and look out of shape for his spring sport. A one season sport was a great motivator during the off season. My son is in very good shape and he did take off a few pounds once he played a high school sport, and he kept it off even while still growing, so he is pretty lean.</p>
<p>“Thanks shrink. I knew I was feeling incompetent today”</p>
<p>Sure hope that wasn’t because of me! I like to incent (and not punish) parents MOST of all. Now THERE is some bang for the buck!</p>
<p>Thanks to all the replies. Lots of support here on CC, very thankful for that.</p>
<p>No, he is not overweight or otherwise unhealthy, just glued to the screen all day. For now, he agreed to swim a few laps everyday which is only a half hour of swim time, but I’ll take it. Once school starts he agreed to pick a fall sport, which is just next week. so far, so good. Hope he keeps up with some sort of physical activity.
martina99, lol, I feel the same way about xbox too, but we’re on the third one now (he buys them used).</p>