062 - Why Kids Need to Move (and How To Get More Movement Into Their Day) with Dr. Rachel Pope

Welcome to this week's episode of the Discerning Parenting podcast, where we delve into the crucial topic of why kids need to move and explore practical ways to incorporate more movement into their daily lives. As parents, it's a common concern to ensure our children are staying active and healthy, yet many of us face challenges in finding opportunities for them to move, whether it's due to limited space or busy schedules.

Today, we're joined by a special guest who brings both personal and professional insights to the discussion. Dr. Rachel Pope, a doctor of physical therapy, a dedicated mother of four, and an avid runner, understands firsthand the importance of movement for children's development. She'll be sharing her expertise on why movement matters and offering valuable tips on how parents can encourage their kids to stay active, even amid busy routines and constrained environments.

So, if you've ever wondered how to get your kids moving more or why it's so essential for their growth and well-being, you're in for a treat. Let's dive in with Dr. Rachel Pope and explore the transformative power of movement in parenting.

About our Guest:
Dr. Rachel Pope is a doctor of physical therapy (since 2006), and pregnancy & postpartum specialist, she has helped countless Moms get strong again so they can live their lives. As a Mom, Dr. Rachel knows how limited the time you have to yourself is. Some days it feels impossible to squeeze any more into a day. That's why she combined her experience and expertise to create the perfect mix of quick, yet impactful exercises for a fast return back to running. Learn about how Dr. Rachel can help you.

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The Discerning Parenting Podcast is a free informational resource for parents. As a valued listener, you acknowledge that any information you get from this podcast is for your general guidance only, and ​​must never be considered a substitute for the advice provided by a doctor, therapist, or other qualified medical professionals who know your child specifically. Read our full disclaimer policy here.

Transcript

 So kids need movement because they're growing, they're developing, they need to learn new skills, right? They're, they're learning how to jump off the floor. They're learning how to jump off of an object, right? So they're, they're always developing those physical skills, but they also need movement for the, the mental benefits as well.

And, and in this regard, I'm, you know, it's. It can be if they are overexcited, right? If you're noticing that they are like bouncing off the walls, then they probably really actually, or they're talking back, or they're just like having a hard time. A lot of times they need, they need movement. Yeah, so a lack of movement can lead to behavior challenges.

Right, right. Behavior. Absolutely, yeah.

  Welcome to Discerning Parenting, the podcast for parents of kids age 12 and under who have learned the hard way that a one size fits all approach to parenting won't shift the needle for you, your child, or your family. Together, We'll explore intentional strategies that see both you and your kids thrive. 

Parenting strategies based on well conducted research in the areas of child development, brain science, and neurodiversity need practical for you.  What if you let go of perfect and embrace discerning parenting in your family instead?  If you feel like you've been stumbling your way through. And you're ready to leave behind fight or flight mode parenting.

Then, this is the podcast for you.  I'm Dr. Victoria Angolasco, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician and Positive Parenting Coach, on a mission to help you release your parenting guilt  so you can become laser focused on what will truly work for you.  

 Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the Discerning Parenting podcast about why kids need to move and how to get more movement into their day. I know this is a huge and common concern about parents.  Parents have asked me how they can get their kids moving. Often when we talk with parents, they say that the only time that their kids get to have movement time would be during weekends, or they have Limited space to be able to move.

And sometimes we don't realize that  kids do need this movement for many different reasons, affecting all aspects of their development. And I'm so happy to invite today, someone who's both a mom. So she knows what it's like to have. Very active kids and at the same time, she's also an expert on movement.

She's a doctor of physical therapy, a mom of four, and a runner. Let's welcome Dr. Rachel Pope. And I just want to share also that she's my coach. We've had her previously on our podcast to talk about how we can get back to fitness as moms. And today we'll talk about the other side of this, which is helping our kids get fit and healthy as well.

So Rachel, thank you so much for being here with us today. Thanks, Victoria. It's so great to be here again and to talk about this topic. Yeah. So why do kids need to move? We know that this is necessary for good health. We all need movement. We need exercise. We need physical activity.  So let's talk more about the effect of movement and how this is necessary for good health.

 And are there other benefits as well? Yeah, that's a really great question. And if you think about physical fitness and movement for us as adults, right, there's, there's a physical benefit, but there's also that mental benefit, right? So it helps us to de stress. It helps us with our energy. It helps us, You know, with if you're looking to lose weight, if you just want to be stronger or more fit, for some people it can be physical, mental, and sometimes, sometimes it's beyond that, right?

Like it's your identity. It's like what you go to for your it's just like your thing that you do that you go to if you're having a hard day, let's say, right? So if the same thing is true for kids, right?  So kids need movement because they're growing, they're developing, they need to learn new skills, right?

They're, they're learning how to jump off the floor. They're learning how to jump off of an object, right? So they're, they're always developing those physical skills, but they also need Movement for the mental benefits as well. And, and in this regard, you know, it's, it can be if they are overexcited, right?

If you're noticing that they are, like, bouncing off the walls, then they probably really actually, or they're talking back, or they're just, like, having a hard time. A lot of times they need they need movement. Yeah, so a lack of movement can lead to behavior challenges. Yeah. Right, right. Behavior.

Absolutely, yeah.  Maybe that's what, that's the term that I was looking for. But, yeah, I mean, kids need to move, every, like, I've seen variations between 60 and like 120 minutes, like, during the day. So, if you're engaging in, like, a quiet activity, or if you do screen time, right? After, after so long, you're going to find that they either become restless or they just don't feel like they want to do anything or they're just like their behavior is, can be wild.

So they need, they need like a more focused and targeted activity, just like we would like go out and exercise, right? So kids need that time as well for movement to regulate their behavior as well. That helps them to regulate and then, then you can go back to like another quiet activity.

So the day should be structured of, of doing like, you know, movement activities and quiet activities. The movement activities help them to focus for the quiet activities. And if you think about it, the same is true for us. So if, if your listeners are already avid, already avid exercisers, they'll know this It's, you know, for a fact is that, like, if you get your exercise in and I feel the same way, like first thing in the morning, it helps me to focus, have more energy, like throughout the day.

And the same thing is true for kids, like getting exercise and movement will help them to be able to to focus focus better, whether it's at home listening to a parent or whether it's in school and listening to a teacher. Yeah, so movement is beyond just the health benefits. I mean, the health benefits alone are already huge, but at the same time, if we're talking about behavior, emotional regulation, if a child has limited movement or doesn't get enough movement in the day, then it can affect all of these aspects.

It can make it harder for a child to pay attention in school, to regulate their own behavior, regulate their own emotions. So that's why I really wanted to interview you today and share with our listeners about tips on how to get kids moving.  So what is enough movement and how do we know that our kids are getting enough movement in their day?

Because sometimes there can be this belief that, oh they have some sports over the weekend and that's fine. Yeah, yeah, that's a really good question, and I think it's I think it can can be individualized per child  Like for instance my son. He needs a lot of movement. He's five years old And sometimes it gets to the point where it's like alright.

Let's go everybody we need to go outside We need to get some movement so How do we know if it's enough? Again, like kind of what we just talked about, like how is their behavior? How is their listening? How are they like processing their environment around them? But really how do you know enough is enough?

They're tired. They're tired by the end of the day. If they're not tired by the end of the day they're not getting enough movement. If they're not sleeping well at night, then they're probably not getting enough movement because exercise  helps with good sleep. So if your kids are not, yeah, yeah.

That's one of the things we look into if somebody talks about a problem with sleep. So sometimes they think it's just a matter of what you do during bedtime. It's just a matter of sleep training or, but a lot of times it can, It has to do with what they do the rest of the day and getting enough movement.

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. You know, sometimes I, you know, it's, it's funny because our kids can sometimes wear us out because they have more energy than we do as parents, but it's really imperative that they get the movement that they need. They get the exercise that they need. And there's, there's really not a risk.

I mean, maybe we'll get into this a little bit later, but of like.  To doing too much. I think at a very young age, kids are self limiters. When they get a little bit older, like into sports and like school age and stuff like that, then maybe doing too much becomes more of a concern. But when kids are, you know, in, you know, primary school or elementary school, however you call it, I don't think that there's really a risk of necessarily overdoing the activity because they, you know, they're not, they're not, they're not, they're not, They will, they'll let you know when they're tired or they'll show you when they're tired.

So, so yeah, so get them busy, get them moving, get them active. It's really important, not just for them, but for you too as a parent, because when your kids get enough exercise and movement, then they are, they'll be calmer during like the quiet periods. And that's when that's when you can have more calm in the house and less chaos.

Yeah, that's so true. And in fact, if you look at the World Health Organization, they recommend that kids get around three hours of active time in a day. So it doesn't really have to mean that the entire three hours should be spent exercising, but that's just at least three hours throughout the day. So it doesn't have to be a three hours straight, like spread throughout the day that they're not just sitting or being sedentary, so this could be walking, moving around, helping with chores.

So, oh, I think we're getting ahead because that's the next question.  How do we help kids get moving more? Because our listeners here would be in different situations. Some would have a nice backyard or a nearby park where kids can run, while others can be stuck in indoor spaces. And then, if they want their kids to run, They need to go to a mall where there's a pay by the hour play area, and these play areas can also be cramped and crowded, and it can be difficult to get enough movement, especially for parents of toddlers.

Sometimes they would try to, they would need to stop their toddlers from moving from most of the day because it's difficult to have a place to move around where their toddlers won't bump into anybody or break anything.  Yeah, yeah, yeah. Those are, those are very good and valid points. And a good question. 

And I think, I think it's helpful to make the distinction that. Physical activity for kids throughout the day doesn't mean that they're in like an organized sport for three hours a day, right? It doesn't mean that they're running top speed for three hours a day. It just means that they are not just sitting and being sedentary, right?

So whether that's you know, like coloring or school work or screen time, right? So those are sedentary activities. So like you mentioned, right? Are they helping with chores? Like  You know, like my one and a half year old, she helps me to move the clothes from the washer into the dryer. Right. So like that is movement for her.

That is exercise for her. But to answer your question, as far as like, how do we get enough movement in the day for them? Now, yes, it can be different depending on where you live. If you're in like an urban setting and there's not a lot of green space, but it's, so to speak, versus, Like myself, we live out in the country.

We have acres of land and woods to go, you know, and go play in every single day. So we have that, I'll call it a luxury as far as like exercise is concerned. But you can be creative. I mean, there's some days where it's. it's too cold or it's too rainy for us to go outside. So you can certainly be creative inside the home as to what your kids are doing for movement.

I mean, your kids will naturally, like, if you allow them to, they will naturally create their own movement and momentum. And so you need to just provide a safe space for them to do that. So for example instead of going to like a pay by the hour play area, which I have never, until we've spoken, I've never heard of that before. 

So we don't have that here that I'm aware of in the, in the States. But I can see how that would be a real concern, like going to a place and then having it be crowded and like your plan is just  kind of goes out the window. So how can you get movement with your kids at home? So involving them.

In whatever it is you're doing depending on sort of the, the home that you live in is, or do you live in a, in a walk up that has stairs or a two family home that has stairs, have them do the stairs with you, you know, throughout the day.  Also like just in, like, let's say your, your living space, like my kids, my kids take apart the couch every single day and they play on the cushions.

Right. So they're, they're jumping and they're playing. They're not being naughty when they're jumping on the couch.  Because I know that,  yeah.  Yeah, yeah. They just, they need that movement. And so you have to be, and at least I, I'll say, I have to be selective about what I allow and what I don't allow. I used to say no jumping on the couch, right?

And and so now it's like, well, if you put the cushions on the floor, which I don't absolutely love because, you know, The couch has been not necessarily destroyed, but it's not, not looking as new as it once did. We'll just put it that way. But if you put the cushions on the floor, right, then that's a safe way to, to explore. 

Also like doing heavy work, right? So we're talking more of like younger kids, like heavy, heavy work, like pushing things out of the way, right? So like, Filling baskets and bins using a laundry basket. Like if you have many, more than one kid putting, one kid will go in the laundry basket and the other kid will push them.

I don't have to create these activities. My children come up with them on their own. But if you're looking for some ideas, if your child's maybe stuck in more of a sedentary mode, these are some ideas that you can try.  You know, my kids move the coffee table out of the way, like the two, like my two older kids, they can just do that on their own.

That's good exercise for them. They can push something heavy out of the way. We also have inside, there's things that you can purchase for home that are great for exercise and movement. We have I think it's called a Billy Bo chair. I'd have to look it up, but it's basically like a plastic seat that the kids can sit in and they can just.

Spin and spin and spin and spin and spin. And my kids go through different phases of whether they use it a lot or not. My, my middle daughter uses it to regulate herself. So if she's having a hard time or a confrontation with one of her siblings, we, she says, I need to go spin. So again, there's that, like that sensory emotional processing, but it's also a good way to work on coordination.

It's a good way to use her energy. They also make like stepping stones where you can create an obstacle course or just use household items to create an obstacle course, right? I mean you can just be you can be super creative. I mean, sometimes I've even said all right We're gonna move from this end of the house to the other end of the house who can do a bear walk for me who?

Can do a you know crab walk and so you can just or do 10 squats or 10 jumping jacks or you can tune into Youtube right there's There's yoga for kids on YouTube and exercise routines. So there's lots of ways that kids can get movement. I also like you know, work out at home. So my kids have their own set of weights.

They, they come in and out of like my exercise routine that I'm doing. So they're getting exercise that way. So if you really think about it, like there's lots and lots of opportunities for kids to be able to get enough movement and exercise throughout the day. Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. And. I guess with the equipment that you mentioned I'm glad that you're a doctor of physical therapy recommending this because I know there are a lot of equipment out there that might not necessarily be safe for home use.

Like for example, I know trampolines are very popular, but there are actually recommendations that young kids, Should not be using trampolines. And these are better used in therapy settings rather than at home. So if, for example, they want to jump, instead of using a trampoline, they can just jump on the floor or on the sturdy couch.

So,  we do have to look into the safety issue. So thank you for sharing about safer equipment and also more accessible ways that they can get more movement into the day. So it sounds like, especially for young kids  the issue of them not getting enough movement is not necessarily that there aren't enough ideas, but more of we shouldn't stop them, or at least we can redirect them to where it's safer and more acceptable.

Prevent the mood. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.  We also get a lot of questions about this from parents who are thinking of enrolling their kids in sports.  When is the right age to enroll a child in lessons for organized sports? I think it depends on the child. It also depends on the sport and at what age they start at.

I know here, a lot of things start at you start at age four or five.  But I think, you know, if, if it's something that you want to do, it's something that you talk with your kids about and they're, you're both excited about it and they want to do it and they're excited to go try it. I mean, what, what can be the harm in trying it?

I think it's great. You know, We have like soccer and t ball, you know, that start at very young ages. Swimming can start even earlier. A lot of times they'll do, you know, like infant, you know, like mommy and me classes. And then, you know, all the way on up for, for that. So I don't think it's ever too early to start in organized sports.

It's great for their physical, it's great for the coordination. It's great for their social skills. You know, a lot of, a lot of those things. So as long as your child is,  excited to go and they enjoy going, then there's no, then, then do it. Then do it. Yeah, I think that's a good indicator if the child is enjoying or not.

As long as there's no pressure because I sometimes like to share this story. Like I once observed a game of three year olds and it was like a football game. And of course these are three year olds, they're preschoolers.  And they're just they may not understand yet the concept of two teams and two goals.

And there's no shaming here. I know that everybody was just very excited, but the kids really were just kicking the balls towards the goals. And then there were some parents who were getting upset because some of the kids were kicking the goals, not towards their own goal, but towards the goal of the opponents.

So, I mean, the moment that either the child or the parents are starting to get stressed, then maybe it might be time to just wait. Because remember, especially for young kids, it's not really about winning or getting the score, but it's about them learning the motor skills. I mean, all the rules and all of that can come later on when they're older.

And you mentioned that swimming also. Babies do, many babies actually enjoy being in the water. And they love that sensation. It's a good sensory activity. And I guess a caveat to that is I see that sometimes baby swimming lessons are advertised as drown proofing. There's no such thing as drown proofing a child.

So while it's okay to do that when we hear marketing messages like that, like drown proofing, then, you know, that's something that we need to watch out for.  Yes, absolutely. That can be kind of scary. You never want to, you want, never want to, take your eye off of your kids when you're in the, in the water with them.

And yeah, drown proofing. I, I haven't heard that term before, but yeah, that's, that kind of takes me aback because that's definitely not a reality. You can definitely teach them skills at a very young age to, you know, turn over onto their back and float if ever there were like some sort of emergency or something like that.

But yeah, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.  If we enroll a child in organized sports, or let's say we let them engage in a sport, like let's say running, how can we do it safely and avoid injuries? And what are the signs that it might be too much? That's, that's a good question. I think, again, for younger kids They will let you know if it feels like it's too much.

They'll, you know, they'll be tired more tired than usual rather than just like end of the day tired. But you know, even for kids who are more like school age and older, you can look for sort of like, you know, overuse either injuries where they're complaining about something hurts, right? So it could be like a musculoskeletal thing.

So like a joint hurts or, you know, a muscle hurts or something like that. But also, you know, if they are not wanting to go, right? So if they're not wanting, if they're no longer excited, they're not wanting to go, really what's the, you kind of need to dig a little bit deeper and kind of ask, get, get curious about what's going on.

They might feel like it's It's too taxing or it's overworking or maybe it's could be something with their coach too. But you know,  but coming from like a, just from a physical perspective you would look for kind of like this similar signs of overtraining, like in adults. Right.  So, So conversely, as we talked about before, like getting enough activity will help them sleep well at night.

If they're getting too much activity or if they're doing, if they're enrolled in too many sports, that can happen too, where kids are overscheduled and doing too many sports you might see them Like, not sleeping well at night, right? So, they have trouble sleeping,  those kinds of things. So, sleep, also, like, how are they how are they eating, right?

So if, if you see any, like, changes in their, like, normal behavior, that's kind of what we're looking for. And of course, with kids, that can be hard to sort of decipher what's going on, but kind of get curious about, like, what is it that's changed in, in kind of, like, the recent, recent past or recent current events that you have going on and, and try to figure out what exactly is happening.

And, and, and is it, you know, is it the addition of, you know, the sport or a change in sport, or maybe a change in the intensity of the sport? Sometimes we have kids who are in grade school and they're doing, let's say dance, for example, and it's like five days a week plus, you know, recitals and rehearsals and things like that.

And that can become too much for, for young kids. Yeah, so I think it's all about striking a balance.  So how do we strive for balance and what does it mean when, I've heard you talking about this concept, what does balance mean when it comes to sports, especially sports for kids, and how do we strive for this?

Yeah, that's a really good question. And I think you need to follow,  I think you need to follow your children's lead. So finding balance like just like you wouldn't go out and like do intense heavy exercise for, you know, hours a day. Cause that could, that could be unhealthy versus like being sedentary all the time is also.

considered unhealthy. So you need to find that happy medium where kids are getting enough exercise so that they are happy and healthy and they seem like they're well adjusted. And so with kids, a lot of times they can't say, you know, they can't verbalize like this feels like too much or this feels too hard or this is like too often.

So a lot of times you'll see You know, in, in their resistance to not wanting to go to a practice or not wanting to participate in something or again, like their behaviors. So so getting them active, And then, but not overdoing it. And again, it's, it can be very individualized from child to child. I think sometimes, especially when kids are younger, it can be a difference between boys and girls too.

Like I have one boy and three girls and definitely my boy is more high energy. Like he, he definitely needs more of an outlet for exercise. Whereas my, you know, my girls are, aren't, aren't quite the same. They don't necessarily need as much, like, outside  big movement type play at least at this point, anyway.

So I think finding that balance. And I also have an older daughter, too. I know I'm speaking a lot about young kids, and I know that's more of your audience, but I, I do also have a 22 year old daughter. So we've done the little kid thing. We've done like all the school sports and now she's off on her own too.

So, you know, finding the balance and, you know, all of the school activities and the sports to not be, not be overdoing it or over scheduled. And still, you know, like feeling good and having good energy and being able to sleep good at night. Right. Like all of those all of those things. And now that she's.

on her own, right? She's trying to find the balance on her own of, of, you know, going to school and doing her clinicals and also trying to exercise too. So it does kind of come full circle. So depending on how old your kids are, but yeah, I mean, balance, balance is a relative term and, and your balance can change in kids based on their age, based on their interests, based on like the time of, time of year, right?

So all of those things. So it's not  It's not really like a clear cut and dry answer. I'm gonna say that it's very different.  Yeah, it would be different for every child. Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. But the important thing is, yeah, this is something that is that, that we listen to our kids also. So sometimes we get questions like, Oh I'm having my child enroll in, let's say, martial arts or some sport because of discipline.

I want them to learn discipline. But my child refuses to go. So should I force them so that they will be disciplined? Because they're worried if I, if I allow my child to stop this sport that they started, my child might end up being a quitter. So sometimes there are these worries. I know as parents, we always second guess ourselves like, Sometimes, in our instinct, we know that our child is miserable trying out this sport, but we question ourselves, if I, if I allow my child to stop, does it send my child a message that they can just quit any time instead of trying, and then sometimes we hear stories from around us.

Oh, my child didn't like it. He was crying at first, but I forced him and now he loves it.  I guess that's why in discerning parenting, we also say you listen to your instincts. If your intuition tells you that your child is no longer happy, you're no longer happy, you're always fighting about it, then it's okay to stop.

You give yourself permission to stop and you give your child permission to stop because that one sport is not the end all and be all. Sometimes, as Dr. Rachel said, sometimes it can even be the coach. Maybe your child doesn't have to give up on the sport, but maybe that particular coach, even if they're good coaches, there's also this thing as the right fit.

 Maybe that particular coach may not be the right, the best fit for your child. So, give yourself. Give yourself grace, give your child grace also, and that's why I love how we're talking about balance.  Yes, I, I absolutely agree and, and I think to your, to your point about that, about quitting versus not quitting, I think with kids it's more of,  It should be an exploration and what they enjoy doing.

So is it really that, is it really that sport that you want them to do, or is it that you want them to learn the movement and learn the rules and you know, just get some exercise and, and, and, you know, just learn some different skills. So maybe to kind of let go of just that particular like martial arts for, for example, and maybe try  So are, are they really quitting?

I mean, you're not just stopping the sport and then just having them go sit in front of the TV, for example, like you're maybe stopping that sport or trying a different, a different sport or a different coach or a different school or whatever it is that you're doing. Cause you still want that benefit for kids.

Yeah, it's about exploring, letting them explore their interests. Yes, exactly. Thank you. So I love how you also work with moms in helping them get fit. And I just want to share.  I've been working with Dr. Rachel for some time now. Then recently, you know, I've never been athletic in all my life. And then recently I was playing tag with my son and then he was so surprised.

He said, mom,   what did you do? So  I guess even, even as parents, it's never too late to get fit. So. If we're to encourage our kids to get moving, we need to model this and get moving as well, but I know how hard it is for busy parents. So, can you tell us about your work and what you do? Sure, absolutely. I think that is so true that if we want our kids to be healthy or fit or to get exercise they need to see us doing it because actions speak louder than words, right?

We know that phrase. So they will model, they want to be exactly like you. So whatever it is that you do, they want to do as well, right? So how many times do your kids steal your phone from you? Because they want to be exactly like you. Now that doesn't necessarily mean you want them on your phone or a device a lot, a lot of the time, but if you model Exercise behavior, then they're going to want to do it with you as well.

So being a mom of you know, three young kids being home and then also working with my clients  I think that you, as with kids, like you need to explore and figure out like what you enjoy doing and what works for you and your schedule. So. you know, some, you know, at one point in my motherhood, I was able to dedicate an hour or sometimes even two hours to doing exercise a day when I was training for you know, like running events or triathlons.

Whereas now where I am you know, like 30 minutes, sometimes a little, sometimes less, sometimes it's 15 minutes. You know, sometimes it's a little more, it depends on my kids and how the day is. So I think when you are a busy parent finding something that works for you that you enjoy doing, again, it's the same as with your kids, right?

So like you have to find something that you enjoy. If you're trying to just get fit, quote unquote, get fit for the sake of getting fit or because your doctor says you need to, you know, do something for heart health, And you don't enjoy it, there's no way that you're going to stick with it and that you're going to show your kids that you, that you like it.

So again, like exercise for you, like for me, it's running, right? So I like kind of like the more high intensity type stuff, but for you it might be maybe try yoga, maybe try you know, fitness classes on, you know, YouTube or, you know, working with a coach like you're doing, right? So finding something that specifically works for you and the amount of time you have.

Some is better than none. Like I have some clients that say, I don't even have 10 minutes or 15 minutes out of the day to do like a dedicated exercise session. So we talk about how can you fit in some exercise throughout your day? So like if you're playing with your kids on the floor, can you, You know, can you work on, let's say, for example, doing planks or when your kids are in the bathtub, can you do squats by the sink?

Or when you're brushing your teeth, can you do something there, right? So it doesn't have to necessarily be, you know, I'm like going to work out per se, or I'm going to a fitness class, unless that's something that you enjoy doing, then by all means. But if you find that you're very busy and you just can't find You're having a hard time making the time, you know, for yourself or for fitness, then just small bits throughout the day add up to a large bit by the end of the day.

But yes, absolutely. I mean, and I love the example that you gave, that story that you just told about your son saying, Oh my gosh, you're getting faster, mom. And I, I think that's wonderful because you're, it's never too late to start anything. I didn't start running until later in life. I didn't even start.

Swimming, like, for the sake of, like, Swimming distance and doing triathlons until later. Like I took swimming lessons repeatedly, like as an adult to get better at it. So like, just like again, just like kids, I mean, I love the parallels here that we're talking about, but just like kids, it's wonderful to be able to explore, you know, different interests and things that you, you know, that you enjoy doing.

So Finding something that you enjoy, even if it's just walking, right? Like if you have the space to, to walk that is great for heart health. You don't necessarily have to be, you know, sweating necessarily for the benefits of exercise, you know, for, for heart health recommendations, just getting your heart rate up a little bit and getting some movement on, you know, they say, I think they say most days, you know, 30 minutes on most days of the week is sufficient for, for overall health and wellbeing.

 Yeah, so thank you for sharing that. And what I love about your methods are they're really doable even as busy parents. So we  We can get enough exercise. I mean, if you can find time to, let's say, dedicate some time to go to the gym, then that is great, but if you cannot, then I love your strategies for working in physical activity all throughout our busy day as parents.

So to learn more about Dr. Rachel and her work, head over to  rachelpope. co. That's dot C O. rachelpope. co. co and we'll also link to it in the show notes. So Dr. Rachel, is there anything else that you'd like to share? Any take home messages you'd like to share to our listeners? No, I mean, I just think that, I think that physical fitness is just so important.

You know, I didn't, I personally didn't start like exercising for the sake of exercise until I, until after I finished college. Which is funny because I was going to school as a physical therapist and at that point I'll just share, I'll just share this little, little bit is that I could barely run around my block, okay?

I was so out of breath, my muscles in my legs were so tight that I could barely, I could barely run, and it was only, a very short distance. And then I worked up to being able to run marathons and beyond. So, you know, if, if you're, you have to start out small. So if you're not physically active right now, like start out small and the same thing with your kids.

Like if your kids are spending a lot of time being sedentary or in front of a screen, just start out small, right? Like the both, you can both start doing something together, whether that's. Going for a walk  whether that's exercising at home. Like a lot of times I exercise now with my kids are awake and it's a big, it's a fun activity for them to like, we go in the basement and we make an activity.

It's like a thing to do with them. So even if you can't find separate time, like doing it with your children, again, modeling that for them showing that you're enthusiastic and excited about it will get them enthusiastic.  Enthusiastic and excited about it as well. So it's never too late to start for yourself or for them  Yeah, thank you for sharing that and of course speak also with your health care provider as well as your child's health care provider for any concerns and issues that you may have.

Of course, this is general educational and information advice. It's not medical advice, and there are some kids who may many kids may need to get clearance, for example, before engaging in training or organized sports. So be sure that you speak with your healthcare provider about that, and that's also one of the reasons why it's important to get well child check ups for your kids.

And then your own. Health checkups as well.  Thank you. We had a lot of valuable insights, and I enjoyed very much this conversation with you, Dr. Rachel, talking about something that we may often forget in all the other things that we're worried about. And I hope that we don't see this as, oh no, this is one extra thing that I have to worry about.

But, let's just think of it as Something that we can work into our everyday and maybe this has also eased some of the worries that we had, like for example, Dr. Rachel said something about avoiding overscheduling, so that's going to free up some time for us also, or if we've been stressing over how to get our kids to have less movement, then, you know, if we allow them to move, it's actually going to make our day go smoothly and free up some time for us also as parents.

And it will also open up an unlimited number of activities together as a family that we don't even have to plan or prepare for.  Absolutely. Yeah. So head over to rachelpope. co to learn more about Dr. Rachel and her work, and also head over to discerningparenting. com. When you head over there, we'll have a lot of articles related to parenting.

 📍 We also have our toolkit for parents at discerningparenting. com slash toolkit, where we have guides for activities handling behavior challenges such as tantrums.  It's a lot of resources about parenting for your kids. So thank you so much, and I hope you enjoyed this episode. See you again soon.