© 2024 Grandma Communications LLC May 3, 2024 – In Grand Central® Radio podcast Episode No. 11, Dr. Laurel Mines, PT, DPT and OCS, a Doctor in Physical Therapy, mental performance coach, educator and public speaker, based in California, conversed with host Geri Cole and two other grandparents (an experienced grandpa in Florida and a relatively new grandma in Minnesota) about their experiences and suggestions regarding exercise with children by persons in the role of grandparent to promote medical, physical, and mental wellbeing of all.
Their suggestions include:
(a) making an exercise plan considering the different ages, stages of development, and other circumstances of all participants in each activity and the equipment and other resources available,
(b) recognizing when to stop an activity, focusing on fun and connection with children and other companions in, and not solely on completion of, the activity,
(c) arranging the activity environment for successful interaction among all participants in the activity and training for flexibility and resiliency,
(d) attending sports games with children, both professional games and games the children play, and playing board games like chess, reading, and singing with children,
(e) telling children a grandparent’s legacy stories of successes and failures of growing up and handling injuries and other setbacks,
(f) using online resources about training for and enjoying exercise, and considering whether to consult with a physical therapist or a personal trainer depending upon goals and extent of any pain or dysfunction,
(g) taking children to gyms admitting and providing appropriate activities for and supervision of them, and attaining from gym staff instructions for setting up equipment and using it safely,
(h) encouraging children to engage in ball slams and other vigorous activities for exercise, fun, anger management, excess energy control, and other mental health improvements and augmentations,
(i) testing the limits of all activity participants and tracking progress of increasing weights lifted, miles hiked, walked, run, or bicycled, and other benchmarks, to inspire further progress to physical and mental fitness, and
(j) incorporating appreciation of nature and relaxed conversation in exercise activities like walking.
Here is a transcript of their conversation – Episode No. 11 Transcript