Sitting is the smoking of our generation. It often amazes me how much we prioritise the health and well being of little people, but our sensibilities stop when it comes to ourselves. When we are kids we are always on the move. Lunch break includes kicking a ball around. There are PE lessons. After school activities are arranged. Mum and Dads taxi is in full force on the weekends to various things or kids are encouraged to go outside. There is variety. Because you don't already play a sport doesn't mean you don't play that sport. You are a kid. Kids start things.
Once we are a little older, we don't have someone limiting our screen time. We don't have someone monitoring our bed time. We don't move as much. And Monkey bars don't lie. Last time I tried to use those bleeding truth machines, it felt like my arms were being ripped from their sockets. Then you see some taunting mini man zipping along like Tarzan.
Like smoking, I think we realise there is a problem long before the science catches up. It takes time to gather data. At some point we will realise that our common backaches aren't that mysterious at all. One of the best books I have read on things we could do better at work, home, and school includes movement as one of the many rules to get our brains functioning properly. It was the first place I heard of the idea of 'walking meetings'. We think and listen better while walking. Why do we all have meetings sitting around tables? Perhaps including Monkey Bars in offices is a step too far, but I do think we can be better parents to ourselves.
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