I need feedback on this idea...tell me if it's good, or stupid. (please be kind tho!)

[Julie in CA]

In our town there are the usual youth league sports, soccer, t-ball, football, but all of the kids in those sports are very fit. It would be difficult for an overweight child to dive in and keep up, if you kwim. I think that's part of what makes it difficult for overweight people whether they're kids *or* adults, to begin fun activity for fitness. I know that I wouldn't feel comfortable joining the rec. dept. sports, because I've never been athletic, don't know how to play the games, would feel really stupid and out-of-place, and I would slow things down for other people. My overweight kids would probably feel the same way.

 

I've been giving it some thought, and I'd love it if our local Recreation Department would develop/offer a program for *families* who are looking for fun ways to increase physical fitness. Maybe it could be once a week in the cooler evening hours, and they could alternate activities like softball, flag football, and other fun games that children and adults alike could enjoy together. Maybe include a lap or two around the field (at whatever pace each person/family could manage), gently encouraging both the aspect of family fun, and the aspect of family fitness. Because there would be people of all ages, it might not be assumed that all people already know how to play a game, so competitiveness wouldn't get in the way of everyone learning/participating.

 

Is it a stupid idea? If you're one of the overweight or unfit, would you give it a try if it were offered in your town?

 

ETA: ...and if you're one of those people who think overweight people should ignore possible ridicule and just try to jump in with the already-fit, be gentle about saying so, k? :-)

Edited July 16, 2009 by Julie in CA

[Sophia]

I wouldn't wait for the rec department.

Call some families and organize some games on your own!

We gather with several families every Friday evening for Ultimate Frisbee.

Sometimes, the younger crowd will play with the adults, then go off to play on the playground while the older kids play, or sometimes they'll all play together, older kids making allowances for the younger crowd.

We play from 7-9, then gather at a home for board games until you feel like going home :001_smile:.

In the winter, we go to our local rec center during open gym and play volleyball.

Don't really care for that sport, but the rec. center is free, it's indoors and we find the kids don't care so much about the sport as much as they care about getting together and doing something.

hth!

[myfunnybunch]

I think it sounds like a GREAT idea. You could call it "Family Fun and Fitness" or something like that. :)

 

Cat

[rlowetx]

I think its great for everyone.. not just kids or families who need to be more fit... Our son doesn't participate in group sports as its not a right fit for him or for us, but a family activity.. where families are getting together and playing together? - I love it and seriously think that is certainly that best way to develop a love for being outside and staying fit...

ah, the idea of families doing something together.. I'm in love with this idea.

[mommaduck]

I think it's a great idea! I was a skinny (literally skin and bones) kid. I was always picked last (couldn't throw a ball) and had poor eyesight. I would have loved a "safe place" to play sports and games where people were expected more to be kind than to win.

[katemary63]

Great idea. We would join!

[elegantlion]

I think it's a great idea and can see it being applicable to more than just overweight individuals. Most of the team sports around here are so competitive that we've been hesitant to sign up ds. Baseball wasn't fun for him, the rec league of basketball ends with his age group and even swimming is too time consuming and costly for us.

 

It would be great for families that are not sports oriented or don't have the time or money to apply to regular teams. We'd love to play to just have fun and maybe learn more about a certain sport.

Edited July 16, 2009 by elegantlion

[Julie in CA]

I think it's a great idea! I was a skinny (literally skin and bones) kid. I was always picked last (couldn't throw a ball) and had poor eyesight. I would have loved a "safe place" to play sports and games where people were expected more to be kind than to win.

I wasn't the skinny kid picked last, I just had *no interest* in sports as a kid. It just wasn't very valued in my family. My people cared about education, reading and literature, felt every girl should be able to sew, embroider, & crochet, etc.

 

Now I'm the over 200 lb. mom of 5 dc, who's dh plays basketball and co-ed softball league while she watches from the bleachers :001_unsure:. He never even asked if I wanted to play, because he's never seen me play a game like that (I never have :confused1: and I wouldn't know what to do).

 

I guess I'm lookin' for that "safe place" now! My dc are seriously overweight too, and I have a ton of guilt about that. We eat healthy foods, just too much of them, and we need to get out and MOVE! ;)

 

Maybe I will run it by the Rec. Dept. guy. He's very nice, and will probably not just look at me like I'm a crazy fat woman who should stay home where nobody will notice how big she is.... {oops, there's that pesky negative voice that pops out and tells me I can't do it! :glare: Shhh....}

Edited July 16, 2009 by Julie in CA

[lionfamily1999]

The only hitch I see, is that you would still end up with lots of fit families wanting to take part. IOW, they're fit for a reason and they're joiners too (they're already on all the teams, right?). Maybe you could try to start your own club, or see if the Rec Dept will, for families who NEED to get into shape. Some sort of a 'graduation,' once you're family has reached its goal weight could keep it from becoming 'owned' by the oldest members.

 

Everyone's ripping off The Biggest Loser, be creative, make a presentation to your Rec Dept.

[mommaduck]

The only hitch I see, is that you would still end up with lots of fit families wanting to take part. IOW, they're fit for a reason and they're joiners too (they're already on all the teams, right?). Maybe you could try to start your own club, or see if the Rec Dept will, for families who NEED to get into shape. Some sort of a 'graduation,' once you're family has reached its goal weight could keep it from becoming 'owned' by the oldest members.

 

Everyone's ripping off The Biggest Loser, be creative, make a presentation to your Rec Dept.

 

 

Please don't make weight a goal! Some people aren't fit for reasons other than weight (or are underweight by genetics rather than overweight).

[Julie in CA]

Please don't make weight a goal! Some people aren't fit for reasons other than weight (or are underweight by genetics rather than overweight).

Well, I don't care if physically fit people play! I think that's the main idea of the whole thing--meeting you where you are, no matter where that happens to be, and having fun. Maybe learning something new. Getting some family time. Encouraging a fitness lifestyle in kids/adults of all ages. If granny wants to come, bring 'er! Have a baby? Strap 'em on, and join in the fun! Too fat to run? S'okay...walk to the base if you have to, because the 8 yo outfielder is gonna need some extra time to get the ball there anyway...

 

My enthusiasm is growing ;)

[melissel]

I think it's a wonderful idea too. DH is a sporty guy, but I am SO not a sporty mom. For some reason, I'm the bad teen movie girl who gets hit in the face by the ball all the time, including very nearly by a foul ball at a Yankee game, where I was in the middle of telling the story about how I ALWAYS GET HIT IN THE FACE BY THE BALL! Physical fitness was never emphasized in my family growing up either, and I was a reader instead. My girls are a bit shy in that respect, and I want them to be more willing to jump in and play. That environment, with me and their dad beside them, would be perfect.