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KackyK
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| Posted: June 29 2009 at 3:21pm | IP Logged
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I have a 14yrold dd who has no interest in exercising. She takes a 2X weekly 1hour taekwondo class, but that's it. She sits otherwise all day. She reads and reads and oh yeah, she reads! If not a book she has the computer in front of her writing, writing and oh yeah, writing!
We try to lure her away. I have gotten her to go on a couple of walks with me and the littles but she walks so.very.slowly and I can't motivate her to move it along. We have a bball court in the backyard, and she has 4 younger brothers who are out there all the time. But we can't get her back there without a fight! Then that's no fun anymore.
She says she doesn't want to exercise because it's boring, there is nothing to entertain her, she doesn't "see" the point. We've tried the reasoning, to care for our bodies that God gave us, the whole temple of the Holy Spirit thing, she's not going for it. Very frustrating. This has always been the one part of homeschooling that I don't feel I have done a good job with in making up for, so to speak, not being at a big old school, with long halls, fast walks to class, running for the bus, gym class, etc. It's like we skipped the walking around bits of the day you get at school and have fast forwarded to the stuck in a chair at work as an adult all day syndrome.
Oh and we've tried the whole gym class idea at home in the backyard, but it ends up with big fights with her younger brothers  Done nature walks, and she goes for that, but that's not so much exercise as more enjoyable slow pace, you know what I mean? We need to break a sweat and do some huffing and puffing!
So this was a long winded way of asking...anyone got any fun ideas that teens like for exercise???
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
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Matilda
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| Posted: June 29 2009 at 3:36pm | IP Logged
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When I was a teen (oh so long ago!  ) I learned how to ballroom dance. That was exercise that didn't feel like it. Now, I realize that you can't learn to ballroom dance by yourself, but what about something like line dancing or English country dancing? You might be able to find a DVD to learn from.
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Charlotte (Matilda)
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Michaela
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| Posted: June 29 2009 at 4:06pm | IP Logged
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Riding bikes is a big hit around here.
Hiking trails or walking with another family -- no one wants to look like the slow poke or the one holding everyone back.
It sounds like you're certainly trying, Kacky. Thinking back to my teen years... my family was not a physical family at all. 
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Michaela
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JodieLyn
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umm what about those video or dance games? the Wii Fit or.. there was a dance one you have to follow the moves..
a treadmill where she can read a book while walking (one you can set the speed? maybe a gym?)
since it's not something she's doing for fun but something that is just "another chore" maybe it needs to be just that.. "you may not do anything else until your chores are done which includes your X minutes of exercise"
I have the same problem, I hate exercising just to exercise.. but walking or biking somewhere, hiking, dancing, swimming (swimming is probably the closest I get to a repetitive exercise because I just love the whole process of it) umm hard physical labor? gardening, mowing lawns, chopping/carrying/stacking wood if you have a wood stove, scrubbing floors, vacumming, chasing the 2 yr old (at least that keeps us on our toes here  )
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bayleyfamily
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| Posted: June 30 2009 at 4:41pm | IP Logged
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When I was a teen, our family joined Presidents Health Club. We would go as a family, then do something fun after exercising like swimming/hot tub or sometimes out to eat. I remember feeling very "grown up" being able to go off on my own to choose the type of exercise equipment or class I would take. I loved my family but it was nice to have a little break to exercise on my own. We were on a pretty tight budget and I don't know what it would cost, but maybe someplace would give you a trial membership?
Good Luck!
Kelly B, Mom to ds10, dd8, dd7, dd3, ds6mo, 2 in Heaven
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sewcrazy
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If she likes Tae Kwon Do, can she take it more often? Or "assign" her to practice her forms? I took Tae Kwon Do through junior high and high school, and it helped tremendously.
My 10 dd takes Irish dance. Class is 2x a week, but she has to practice for 1/2 hour in the morning and the evening.
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LeeAnn
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Kristie 4
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With our 14yos who is also an avid reader I have made his computer time (twice a week gaming) contingent on exercise- now he runs and does 50 push ups for his time...
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Kristie in Canada
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Angie Mc
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I have a teen who does T-Tapp Basic Workout Plus, 15 minutes a day (or every other day), usually with me.
Love,
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Angie Mc
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florasita
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| Posted: July 13 2009 at 3:46pm | IP Logged
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I've heard great stuff too from dd about the wii a lot of families get great fun out of them .
our ds13 does karate twice per week and swimming lessons and now he started walking the dogs . do you have dogs ? maybe she'd like a little dog she could walk ? how about a babysitting job watching a 3yo can be great exercise plus money is a good motivator
our ds told me he wanted an exrecise bike and walking thing I told him if he couldn't even walk his dogs no way he now loves walking his dogs .
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SaraP
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How about audio books on an ipod or MP3 player that are to be listened to only while walking?
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Tina P.
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JodieLyn wrote:
| but walking or biking somewhere, ) |
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How about walking or biking to the LIBRARY!?!?
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guitarnan
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LOL Tina, that's just what I did, several times a week!
KackyK, for your daughter I have these quasi-random thoughts:
There are many types of dance classes out there. Some are pricey (Irish step dance, for example, although it's awesome exercise). Others are fun and affordable. For ex:
Scottish country dancing
Jazz or hip-hop
Ballroom (what's good enough for Elizabeth Bennett...)
Ceilidh dancing (Irish social dancing)
Check your county rec calendar, local newspapers and websites for schedules.
Although it's not aerobic, archery is excellent for teens. My son adores it.
Perhaps your church has a teen group that has outdoor activities? (Our teens do an outdoorsy thing every quarter.)
Lawn mowing and other gardening activities are aerobic and can help boost the bank account as well.
KackyK, these thoughts are for you:
When desperate, I do use mild coercion. (With my dd - no afternoon swimming pool time unless she does a full dance practice, for ex.) You're still the mom in charge. It's okay to insist on a little healthful activity.
One thing your daughter might not have considered is the college application process. College admissions people like to see a few key things:
People who will succeed at their university or college, as established by proven experience, grades and scores. If PE is a college graduation requirement, wouldn't it be a good idea to demonstrate that PE is something you can succeed at in high school?
Well-rounded people. PE can play a role here, too - Scout hikes, recreational sports, individual activities - each one shows something about the college applicant.
Applicants who stand out. Perhaps a team or individual sport is one way to distinguish oneself from the crowd of average students.
I know it's hard to convince teens that all the high school years count toward those college applications...but it is so true! Your daughter should be thinking now about the things she loves to do and how she can showcase her interests and talents via high school subjects, interests and experiences. PE is part of that process.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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KackyK
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| Posted: July 21 2009 at 8:13am | IP Logged
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Thanks for all of these great suggestions.
So far dh has gotten her to go jogging with him whenever he goes (about every 2 days or so), plus she cuts the grass once a week and does her taekwondo twice a week.
I have thought about the dance classes and still pondering. I'm finding though that because she is older and would be in an "older" class, some of the places (at least near us) I've seen are less modest than I would like (than she would like!) She use to do Irish dance actually and I forgot about the social dancing. She didn't like competitions that's why she stopped. But maybe the social dancing side...hmmmm....
Oh and I decided to try to find line dancing too. We have a clogging group near us too...don't know if I could convince her of that one?!
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KackyK
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guitarnan
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Lots of Irish dancers pick up clogging, too. Very aerobic!
Perhaps there's a ceili dancing group near you - not necessarily classes but dance opportunities for all ages?
(Some Irish dance schools are cool with dancers who just love the art, but don't want to compete. Check around...)
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Topic: how do you get your teenager to exercise?
