Young Porkers.

[Fiannan]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051221/ap_on_...it_unfit_kids_5

Well, houses have gotten bigger, but families smaller, but maybe you need a big house to fit today's youth. Isn't it wonderful, two income families trying to compensate for their 1.8 children by giving them tons of treats sothey will weigh tons. When I was in high school the people I went to school with were born in the early 1960s -- so there were few fat kids. We also had PE teachers who were more concerned with abilities, not self esteme.

[sgallan]

Go figure then that I have only one child and she can do 17 chin ups, run a 8 minute mile (age 10 and only 53 inches tall), over 100 push ups, 80 sit ups in a minute, front and back handsprings, and so on.

[Fiannan]

You have already established that you drive your child. I am not chastizing you, but you mention her accomplishments so much I am starting to wonder if her rophies are on her shelf, or your's.

[sgallan]

I compete too (or did until a year ago). I got my own accolades thank you. Plus she's not the only one I coach. I am proud of all those kids. Her example was just more germaine to this thread.

The amount of stuff she can do is a lot of genetics. It was my first hint I had a prodigy. The gymnastic stuff she taught herself. I started her on weights, but now she tells me she wants to do them. If anything I have to hold her back because she will push herself too hard. I only wish I had that kind of energy. And if you think it's all stuff for wrestling all the time. Ha! She skateboards. Water and snow ski's. Rock climbs (she paid the $150 for the lesson out of her own money). Hikes (we did half dome to the top this summer). Swims. Tae Kwan do. Scuba will be this spring (we are going dutch on this one too). Activity is a Gallan family trait. My dad is an active skydiver at 64 and raced dirt bikes (age group) up until last year.

Oh, and you really need to get consistant on your arguments. First you complain about porkers. Then you moan about me "pushing".

[Fiannan]

I wasn't putting you down, but it seems you bring up your daughter so much that you are projecting into her. Just checking -- kids do need to do things on their own too.

sgallan, if you have intelligence, health and so much energy it's a pity you only have one child. Kinda robbing the gene pool, don't you think? The least you could do is volunteer services for a sperm bank -- no joking, pass on those traits to the next generation.

As for porkers, don't you think we are pampering this generation way too much? Kids spend hours in front of the x-box, MSN chat, etc. and get all the junkfood they want. No wonder they are out of shape.

My kids (I might add) are not out of shape. True, I can outrun them (distance) and outswim them but they are far ahead of their peers.

I did view "Supersize Me" and one guy featured did bring up the irony that it is okay to question someone's smoking, but it isn't socially acceptable to question their overeating. That has got to change or else we Gen-Xers (born 1960 - the late 1970s) will peak the longevity charts in a few decades and then there will be a sharp decline.

[sgallan]

Just checking -- kids do need to do things on their own too.

This is the kid hang out house when were home. The skateboard, swimming, water skiing (she does that with the grandparents), and 'girlfriends' are her.

sgallan, if you have intelligence, health and so much energy it's a pity you only have one child. Kinda robbing the gene pool, don't you think? The least you could do is volunteer services for a sperm bank -- no joking, pass on those traits to the next generation.

That's a terrific idea. I think I'll look into that. But remember now, my lack of belief in a Higher Power might be genetic too.

As for porkers, don't you think we are pampering this generation way too much? Kids spend hours in front of the x-box, MSN chat, etc. and get all the junkfood they want. No wonder they are out of shape.

Agreed. That is the point you should have stressed more than the 'number of kids'. I coach and all of the kids who hang around here DO NOT just play x-box, or on the computer. And other than around the hollidays there is no junk food in this house.

My kids (I might add) are not out of shape. True, I can outrun them (distance) and outswim them but they are far ahead of their peers.

Excellent!

I did view "Supersize Me" and one guy featured did bring up the irony that it is okay to question someone's smoking, but it isn't socially acceptable to question their overeating. That has got to change or else we Gen-Xers (born 1960 - the late 1970s) will peak the longevity charts in a few decades and then there will be a sharp decline.

I could not agree with you more!

[Fiannan]

Oh my, a long post from sgallan that I find excellent!

A few comments:

I really don't think that lack of belief in God is genetic as I know lots of people in my ward who are from non-religious and downright atheistic backgrounds.

The only thing I have questions about involving sperm donation is the idea that my sperm could be used by lesbain couples. I don't know how I feel about that -- but if you have no problem with it then hey, you can get some spare cash and do someone a great favor (I would assume the vast majority of people getting sperm are heterosexual however).

I would aslo assume the kids you coach are from families that demand that their kids not sit around and develop into a bowl of fat. There are too many out there that are however.

Ever see that picture on the net that compares an American woman with an EU woman? It's pretty cool -- wish this site allowed for posting pics. It shows a huge woman in spandex stuffing herself with McDonalds (US woman) with an slender Euro-gal sporting a thong (everything is covered however) as a symbol for an EU woman. I suppose the picture should have a disclaimer warning that women in England make our's look slender.

[sgallan]

Euro-gal sporting a thong (everything is covered however)

Dang it!

FWIW, there is some research out there which suggests a belief in a Higher Power is at least somewhat genetic. Perhaps as a coping mechanism in a world that in earlier times was far more harsh than it is today. In my family I am pretty sure my dad is a non-believer. As am I and one of my brothers. The other brother is a believer. Though not a religious family as kids we did attend church occasionally and my mom is a believer. On my dads side, one brother is religious, a sister and another brother are non-believers. My late granma was a believer. My granpa occasionally went to church because my granma made him, but was only "religious" to keep the peace.

About half of the kids I coach come from poor or dysfunctional families. As do most of the kids that hang out here. We set the example.... the parents don't care much.

[Setheus]

Hey Squallan, I got a couple of dobes that I bet could kick your super daughter's butt. And they're only 32in and 3 years old.....and I got a min-pin that I believe could wipe up the floor with you.

[sgallan]

I'd bet on Dogs too!

[sgallan]

Maybe we could enlist your dogs to have some of the porkers go for runs. Dogs nipping at your heels would be a great motivator.

[Setheus]

ever see the movie "Soldier" with Kurt Russel? Remember the scene where they as 11 year olds are on a formation run in the dessert and the chubby kid falls behind in the run.....and so the instructors send out a Humvee with a couple of adult soldiers and then the camera does a close up of "Todd" and you hear a rifle blast in the back ground *cause they shot the fat kid for not being able to keep up.*

[Fiannan]

Maybe we could enlist your dogs to have some of the porkers go for runs. Dogs nipping at your heels would be a great motivator.

I don't know about that. Give a porker the recipe for baked dog (you can get it on the net) and the dogs would be in big trouble.

[glindakc]

holy moly. poor dogs.

and sgallan, if you do not believe in a higher power, why are you on this lds board? are you looking for a reason to believe?

[sgallan]

I been on and off this board since 1999. My last foray in religion was this one about six years ago (time flies). But I've been a non-believer most of my life.

It is not unusual for many believers to be unable to view things outside the paradigm of desiring a belief system. But not here. I don't see any additional values in god based belief systems, and there are values in some of those faith systems I am not a fan of. :)

[Justlooking]

I remember staying outside to play til sundown when I was a child. I played in the backyard and front stoop in New York. I played anything from bicycles, roller skates, hop scotch, jump rope, double dutch, stoopball, races, hide and seek, two hand touch football, and softball. All of this unsupervised. However, now things are very different. Kids can't be outside alone even in the suburbs due to kidnappings and child molestors. We have all seen the news. Hence less phyiscal excersize means less calories burnt.

You can also forget about going to the park. Once I took my bike to a park near by and never have I peddled so fast to get to get out of a place due to what I saw occuring durring broad daylight. I live in a great neighborhood, yet I felt safer in NYC.

Also, alot of more hormones and additives are in our food chain. Whatever is used to plump up the meat industry will likewise trickle down to us.

Plus, family dinner time now is schedualed like a dentist appointment, in due to different life styles. Sadly, the dining room table now is a perch for mail and whatever used to go in the junk draw.

Not to mention the bad choices of foods with fastfood and restaurants.

And forget about letting the children go over to little so-in-so's house to play due to the decay of the family structure and lack of adult supervision.

Recently, I watched the Video Game Awards and was horrified at the types of games rated TEEN which included the occult and violence set up in a very real life looking montage format.

So its a combination of factors making our children heavier. Best solution is to get them involved in some sort of team enviornment or some physical classes like dance or martial arts, etc.

[Ray]

So does anyone have any ideas about what to do or say to youth that might help them become more physically active???

Or about what to do or say to parents that might help them WANT to share ideas about what to do or say to youth that might help them become more physically active???

I don’t think anyone would argue about the fact that it is good to be physically active, the problem is simply in knowing what to do or say to help people become that way.

[Fiannan]

At least in Portland there's lots of bike trails, recreational opportunities (including nature just an hour away or less) and a generally healthy ethic -- hense, little obesity unless you are in lower class areas.

Oregon's ethic is one of health, despite the liberal attitude on marijuana (even with LDS kids).

I think the most important factor in young people staying healthy is their parent's example. If the kids see you sit in front of the TV in your spare time then they will too. If they see you running, swiming, biking, they will integrate that. I very rarely see fat kids from families where physical activity is stressed.

Alsom Justlooking, the world is not quite as dangerous as you would think watching TV. Of course, I have walked the streets of LA, SF, New Orleans, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Istanbul, etc. after dark and I am still in one piece. However, TV makes local events into national events and magnifies the rate of crime WAY out of proportion to reality -- thereby creating a climate of fear.

Are you aware of the fact that stranger abductions of children result in less deaths of children under 6 than drownings in unattended mop buckets? If you are truly scared of potential dangers to your children then bikes and cars are the greatest threat to their lives -- of course, there's all kinds of accidents at home too. But getting abducted by a killer? Far less chance. As for molesters, I heard in rural areas of Georgia from a friend that lived there that if some guy molested a kid they would place hooks in his skin and strap the other end to a tractor -- a modification of the ancient Viking torture. Messy, but it does send a message that our liberal courts seem unwilling to send.

Maybe making your ownership of guns known to your neighbors might keep one hiding a secret from touvhing any of your kids.

[Ray]

I think the most important factor in young people staying healthy is their parent's example. If the kids see you sit in front of the TV in your spare time then they will too. If they see you running, swimming, biking, they will integrate that. I very rarely see fat kids from families where physical activity is stressed.

So what do you recommend that people do or say to other people who don’t have parents who set a good example for physical activity?

Or in other words, what can you do or say to people to help them want to become more physically active?

And btw, both of my children have a condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, casually referred to as “brittle bones”, so I’m not asking you for advice to apply to my own children, and I’m also not asking you to give any personal advice to me, because I’m getting plenty of exercise doing landscaping and making improvements on my newly acquired slice of heaven.

(Which reminds me, I need to update my profile)

And btw, I have always preferred doing “work” to get my exercise rather than running around “playing” because I enjoy seeing more tangible results for my efforts.

[Justlooking]

Originally posted by Fiannan@Dec 21 2005, 05:00 PM

At least in Portland there's lots of bike trails, recreational opportunities (including nature just an hour away or less) and a generally healthy ethic -- hense, little obesity unless you are in lower class areas.

Oregon's ethic is one of health, despite the liberal attitude on marijuana (even with LDS kids). 

I think the most important factor in young people staying healthy is their parent's example.  If the kids see you sit in front of the TV in your spare time then they will too.  If they see you running, swiming, biking, they will integrate that.  I very rarely see fat kids from families where physical activity is stressed.

Alsom Justlooking, the world is not quite as dangerous as you would think watching TV.  Of course, I have walked the streets of LA, SF, New Orleans, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Istanbul, etc. after dark and I am still in one piece.  However, TV makes local events into national events and magnifies the rate of crime WAY out of proportion to reality -- thereby creating a climate of fear.

Are you aware of the fact that stranger abductions of children result in less deaths of children under 6 than drownings in unattended mop buckets?  If you are truly scared of potential dangers to your children then bikes and cars are the greatest threat to their lives -- of course, there's all kinds of accidents at home too.  But getting abducted by a killer?  Far less chance.  As for molesters, I heard in rural areas of Georgia from a friend that lived there that if some guy molested a kid they would place hooks in his skin and strap the other end to a tractor -- a modification of the ancient Viking torture.  Messy, but it does send a message that our liberal courts seem unwilling to send.

Maybe making your ownership of guns known to your neighbors might keep one hiding a secret from touvhing any of your kids.

←

We live on different coasts of this country with different crime statistics. Where I live we routinely get calls from the local police advising us of new neighbors that have sexual predator/offender status and by law when one moves into the area, we are to be advised. I don't know if they have this where you live.

You may want to check http://www.sexualoffenders.com/archive.php?type=2 this website to see who you neighbors really are.

When I did a search, I found 29 of these people in my zipcode alone.

Ironically I live in a very nice place and new coustom made homes are being built.

[sgallan]

So does anyone have any ideas about what to do or say to youth that might help them become more physically active???

Or about what to do or say to parents that might help them WANT to share ideas about what to do or say to youth that might help them become more physically active???

It is not what you 'say'. It is what you do. Heck, when Reni was months old we'd take her to the gym with us, let her play with the baby in the mirror, while we did our work outs. She went on hundreds of miles of hikes in a baby backpack and did her first 11 mile hike while still five. Swimming lessons as an infant. Wrestling practice as a toddler.... no she didn't practice yet LOL. It's endless. The kids who hang around here..... activity is the game. A trampoline. A tree house. They dug a hole in the backyard. Swimming at the pool and the river. A punching bag in the house. Rough housing in the house. Bikes. Skateboards. Roller blades. A lot of it unsupervised as I am not the paranoid micromanage type.... let kids be kids. How did I know to do these things? It was the way I was raised.

[sgallan]

We live on different coasts of this country with different crime statistics. Where I live we routinely get calls from the local police advising us of new neighbors that have sexual predator/offender status and by law when one moves into the area, we are to be advised. I don't know if they have this where you live.

You find a way. It's one thing to be concerned. It's another thing to be so concerned that the future health of your children might be at stake. In your situation self defense type activities might be advisable. Judo, Tae Kwan do, Wrestling, Ju Jitsu, are all activities which stress self defense, discipline, control, good manners, and sportsmanship.