Are you worried that your child is starting to get unfit and developing an unhealthy lifestyle? You might be interested in ways that you can correct this and there a few quick possibilities to consider.
There is plenty of tech available on the market that will help ensure that your kids stay healthy and fit. This is all about keeping them moving with some experts suggesting that staying still for too long can be just as damaging to your health as smoking. VR and AR games are a great option here. A couple years ago, Pokemon Go had everyone on the street searching for digital pocket monsters.
Alternatively, games like Jedi Training will have kids swinging around a virtual lightsaber, fighting classic Star Wars enemies. It doesn’t take much time to learn that this is quite an intense workout. You might even want to try it yourself if you’ve always dreamed of going one to one with Darth Vader.
Of course, for older kids, you can also consider tech like a Fit Bit. It’s quite fun to use resources like this to keep on top of your fitness and find out just how much exercise you are getting through the day.
Find A Sport They Love
It’s easy to assume that your kid just isn’t a sporty individual if they haven’t immediately gravitated towards a team or activity in school. However, this might not be the case. It’s possible that they simply haven’t yet discovered the sport that they enjoy. There are lots of options here from swimming to football and even skiing. You’ll only figure out if a sport is for them by helping them give it a go. Try to give them as many opportunities as you can because you never know when you might find a sport that becomes a passion.
Don’t forget, getting involved in sports won’t just help them with levels of fitness. It can also be a fantastic benefit for them later in life as well. Once you find a sport they love you can kit them out and save money at the same time with things like a Dicks Sporting Goods coupon. Remember, staying fit doesn’t have to be expensive.
Join In
A child is far more likely to exercise and run around if you join in with them. This is particularly true for younger children who will love spending time with you and playing games. This is why it’s important for you to stay fit and healthy as well. You need to make sure that you have the energy to engage in all these different types of activities.
You might even want to consider setting points through the week where the whole family can get together and get active. There is even strength training available for little ones with experts suggesting that it could be highly beneficial.
Lifestyle Choices
Last but not least, you can help ensure that fitness is a part of a child’s daily routine. Introduce quick, fast workouts through the day. Exercising when you wake up in the morning is a great way to make sure that you are building up energy the right way.
Father’s Day is on the way, and for all you moms and kids out there wondering just what to grab that special dad in your life, I know it can be tough to narrow down gift ideas. Whether you’re shopping for your dad or for the father of your children, if he’s an active guy, you can appeal to his health passions and take your Father’s Day gifts from ordinary to extraordinary. From sports tickets to family adventures, the latest in melbourne storm merchandise (or whoever their team is), to gym necessities, you’ll find something for your active dad on this list.
Tickets to a Game
If your dad is an avid sports fan that knows his favorite player’s stats like he knows his own child’s birthday, then make sure he gets the chance to see his idol in action with tickets to a game. Check out Ticketmaster to see if there are any games coming to a city nearby in the near future, or plan ahead and buy accommodations out of town for a surprise trip that will blow his mind. If you find the tickets have already been sold out, just check out Craigslist or Stubhub to grab resale tickets.
A Fitbit
If he’s all about staying in shape and pushing his body to be the best it can be, you can’t go wrong with a Fitbit. These awesome activity trackers will give him a plethora of important health information, helping him reach the recommended amount of steps each day, track his food, and keep his heart rate in check. There are various models out there at different prices, so you can find something that matches your budget and appeases your pop on Father’s Day.
Quality Earphones
If he’s a runner or gym rat, he’s likely got a playlist of pump-up jams that get him in the mood to pump iron and pound the pavement. If that’s the case, make sure he gets to listen to his sweet tunes with the best audio possible and buy him a pair of high-quality earphones. Check out the JayBird X2 wireless earbuds. They’re a bit of an investment, but the quality is more than worth the price tag, especially if you know your dad will get great use from them. He can get rid of those pesky wires and answer any emergency calls while he’s at the gym getting a great workout in.
A New Gym Bag
If he’s always out the door and on the way to the gym to follow his daily workout regimen, make sure he can get all his essentials to and from with stylish ease. A new duffel will help him go from home to office to gym in one fell swoop and keep all of his gym necessities contained, whether it’s shower essentials after a sweaty session or his work clothes to go from gym to desk in the morning.
An All-Out Adventure
Your active dad is likely an adventure-happy fellow, and if he spends a lot of his time chasing adrenaline pumping activities, then an experience gift is probably right up his alley. Websites like Excitations.com offer a variety of exciting events to take part in. If your dad loves fast cars, take him for a spin in an exotic speedster for the day. If he’s a water sports enthusiast, a white water rafting trip will be the present he never knew he needed. All you have to do is enter your zip code and the website will pull up all the nearby activities that you can purchase for him. This is sure to be a one of a kind present that will make this Father’s Day more than memorable.
Sports Gear
If your dad is an active member of intramural sports teams, then you can’t go wrong with new sports gear. Baseball bats can be a great gift if he’s part of a league as they are constantly evolving, with companies consistently coming out with cool new designs and functionality. In a similar vein to golf clubs, remember that just because he already has them, doesn’t mean he won’t want the latest and greatest.
Show Dad how much you appreciate all he does for your family with the perfect active gifts sure to give nod to his athletic passions and make this a Father’s Day to remember.
If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I love wearing my baby. I try to urge everyone to choose babywearing over alternative methods whenever possible. Check out my post on Why I Wear My Baby to get a better understanding of how important it is for parent and child and know my stance on the topic.
Being one who always wants to try everything, I was delighted when Ergobaby agreed to send me their new Ventus baby carrier from their Performance Collection to review. The Ventus is designed for the active parent who wants to comfortably take their child on adventures both around the city or hiking on trails. Adventures, baby, comfortable; all sound great to me!
I’ve had the pleasure of wearing Avery in an Ergobaby Original carrier and we both enjoyed the time spent with it on. But, when it gets hot outside which is guaranteed here in Texas, things can get sweaty, fast!
In the Ergobaby Original Carrier
When the Ventus arrived, I immediately noticed the difference in overall look and feel from the Original.
The Ventus is lighter and less bulky with breathable, moisture-wicking fabric throughout. It only comes in one color, graphite, and is perfect for a gender neutral carrier.
The Ventus offers 3 carry positions (front, back, and hip), but I’ve only worn Avery in front so far. Once she’s a little older and sitting up on her own, I will feel better about trying her in the back position.
Putting the carrier on was fairly easy, and if you’ve ever used a soft-structured carrier before, this will be no problem. The straps are pretty thick and proved slightly difficult to adjust which is annoying when you have a squirmy baby to hold on to at the same time. But, those thick straps also help to limit slippage and the need to re-tighten after a while, so I’m okay with the straps.
Front carry position
I truly appreciate the ability to move the chest strap up and down to get the right fit, and reaching behind my head to connect it was pretty easy. Actually getting the clips connected is hard at times; I just have an issue with how they are shaped and feeling my way to connect them. It’s not always, but just a minor thing to note.
Our first walk in the Ergobaby Ventus was over an hour and Avery slept most of the time while I was able to comfortably move at a brisk pace. Avery felt secure and snug against me the entire time and we both kept rather cool despite the heat and humidity that day.
Napping with the hood up!
If you are looking for a baby carrier, a small but very important thing to look for is a built-in hood. The Ventus has one and it works great to block everything from wind, dust, sun, and noise when I’m walking and trying to let her nap.
Once it is adjusted to fit Avery and me, the lightweight structure feels great all around except one area. The straps wrapping around me under my arms rub and put pressure on my shoulder blades. This only happens when I’m on a walk and I don’t notice it when moving around a store, but I walk a lot!
See how the clip us just under my arm where it will rub.
Again, the rubbing comes and goes and doesn’t stop me from using the carrier since it really is a great option for us both. Going Mom even enjoys wearing Avery in the Ventus and we even argue over who is going to use it when we’re together. But, Going Mom, as usual, wins.
That’s okay though, I love seeing my two girls together and know how much Kelley misses Avery when she’s at work; they both put a permanent smile on my face.
Part of what makes the Ventus so light is the absence of the bells and whistles like other carriers. You get a zippered pocket that conceals the hood and that’s it. To me, this is good and bad. If I were to go hiking in the Ventus, I would want some sort of storage compartment.
In our Onya Outback, it is heavier, but it has several pockets to store necessities which always comes in handy for me. So for going on an outdoor adventure, I’d prefer the Onya.
But if you have other places to store your necessities, the Ventus is a great choice with its breathable, lightweight material. I’ve actually started keeping it in my car so it’s always on hand when I bring Avery to the store. Plus, I know she likes that she can already stick her head over the top without an infant insert.
And it’s the perfect spot for her to chew and soothe those sore gums.
I have only tried a few soft-structured baby carriers thus far, but the Ergobaby Ventus is an overall great carrier for the active parent just as it claims. Since it is made to carry babies weighing anywhere from 7 to 45 pounds, it will last years as your baby grows with no need to upgrade.
Being lighter, Going Mom enjoys wearing this one more than our heavier Onya. I don’t mind the extra weight in trade for its storage space, but I would say the Ventus would be preferred by those with a smaller frame.
Here is the list of features on Ergobaby’s site:
Special
Body Material/Shell: 100% Polyester
Body Material/Mesh: 100% Polyester
Lining Material: 100% Polyester
Standard
Comfortable for Parents: Baby’s weight is evenly distributed between the hips and shoulders
Ergonomic for Baby: Baby is cradled in a natural sitting position
3 Carry Positions: Front, Back and Hip
Baby Weight Range: 7*-45 lb/3.2* – 20 kg (*Newborn with Infant Insert)
Stitching: Reinforced at all fabric intersections for extra durability
Shoulder Strap Length Range: 24”-44” (61cm-112cm)
Waist belt Circumference Range: 29”-55” (74cm-140cm)
Shoulder Strap Padding:4mm EVA with 15mm High Density PU Foam
Hood
Machine washable
Designed in the USA
I have and will continue to enjoy using the Ventus with Avery and want to thank Ergobaby for the opportunity to use and review their carrier. As an active dad I want to get out and move with my baby to show her the world, and carriers made for this are awesome!
Disclosure: Ergobaby sent me their Ventus Carrier free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are strictly my own. I did not receive compensation for this post.
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
