Parents, who have great expectations from their children in their academic pursuits, rarely stress upon the bare minimum of Health Related Fitness (HRF). This could be because they are ignorant of this and the consequence of the lack of physical fitness does not cause any obvious damage for a very long time. When the arrival of the diseases of inactivity is finally announced, it may be too late.It is the responsibility of schools and parents to ensure that children possess a minimum level of physical fitness, even if they are not skilled sports persons. Certain permanent lifestyle changes must be ingrained in children at a young age.
Encouraging students to follow a regular fitness regime will make them active, stress-free and also enhance concentration. Physical education teachers can play a vital role in implementing HRF at school, by motivating students and promoting lifelong fitness.A sensible balance between academics and fitness is the need of the hour. Parents, who ensure that their children do well in academics, should also sensitize them about being fit and healthy.
Health related fitness should be a family activity, and parents can initiate their wards by motivating them to take part in non-competitive sporting activities. Kids can be allowed to play a game (volleyball, football, tennis or basket ball) that interests them without being under pressure. When parents take their kids along for walking, jogging, cycling or swimming, they also get to spend quality time with them. Such activities can be either a daily activity or a weekend activity. Holidays can also be spent trekking or cycling a distance.The permanent lifestyle change to seek adequate and appropriate exercise must obviously be achieved at the school level itself so that these values get embedded as deeply as the love for cricket.
