Make a Fitness Contract With Your Kids

The term "couch potato" usually refers to adults. But when you think about it, some of the worst couch potatoes are kids. They sit in school all day, come home and snack on junk food, then sit in front of the TV computer or their video games. So what can you do to motivate these little spuds?

"A successful child-fitness effort must begin with the parents," says Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., founder of the Cooper Clinic and director of the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. "First, parents must confront their own lack of motivation and limited time. Then, they have to take an active role in planning a fitness program and in motivating their children to follow it."

In other words, it's important for parents to be good role models if they expect their children to learn the importance of fitness. Parents should start by getting involved in their own regular exercise program. Then get involved in their child's activities, emphasizing fun and fitness, not competitiveness or long hours. Remember that your goal will ultimately be to get your child involved in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise most days of the week and decrease the amount of time in sedentary entertainment.  This will take imagination and a commitment on your part, but the upside is that you will all benefit.

Make a fitness contract

Getting your child started in a fitness program may take a little work on your part. One way to get the ball rolling is to sit down together and discuss the importance of exercise and fitness. Your talk should lead to a mutual agreement of what you both will do to improve your fitness; that is, a fitness contract you both will honor.

Here are four steps to help you draw up your contract:

Define your mutual goals

Let your child think up his or her own goals.

Make two sets of lists

You and your child should each make two lists: one detailing what you plan to do in this program, the other stating what you expect to gain.

Narrow the lists to a workable written agreement

Start the contract with "I, (name of child), will..." Include a brief statement of the goals and fitness activities on which you've agreed. Then continue with a section that starts "I, (name of parent), will..." Spell out your responsibilities, as well as the rewards you and your child will receive.

Set up a monitoring system

This is to make sure the terms of the contract are followed. Draw up a monitoring sheet where you can log the date, type of outing and other information.