Fitness - underestimating our kids

The Pyramid Mountain


There is a mountain where we live, that is considered a tough climb. It is the highest free-standing pyramid in the world, and information tells you that experienced hikers should allow 4 - 6 hours for the round trip up and down the mountain. Many adults struggle to climb this mountain, but since my husband and I have climbed it several times, and also competed in the annual race up and down it twice, we were keen to take our two daughters up (aged 5 and 7 years).

They have been on shorter walks with us, and we knew them to have a reasonable fitness level, so decided to aim for half way up this year, and perhaps next year climb the whole way. 

When we finally set off on the climb, half way came and went, and the girls made it to the top no problem. We made the return trip in just under 5 hours, and were mightily impressed with our young daughters.



Fitter than we gave credit for

On later reflection, we realised that we had of course underestimated our daughter’s abilities and fitness levels. Once I thought about it, I realised that they spend break and lunch times at school running around; swim most days, either at school or at home, and also run around the garden at home after school and at weekends. Not to mention the walks and bike rides we take them on. Overall they probably do more exercise than we do, and so their success in climbing the pyramid should have come as no surprise.

Everyday living is a workout

As adults, we generally have to make an effort to stay fit. (of course depending on your job). We join gyms, go jogging, biking, lift weights; and for all that, how many of us could actually keep up with our kids if we tried to do all they do in a day?

I realise that not all children run around as much as in years gone by, with the advent of television, DVDs and computer games. But again, even if our kids are at this stage, surely we can entice them to play outside by joining them.

A recent camping trip with another family, reminded me of how much fun a simple game of tiggy can be. I hadn’t played in years, but the adults had just as much fun, if not more, than the kids.

Another example came from a while back when I went to help out at my daughter’s school for their PMP (perceptual motor programme) one day as a volunteer parent helper. I was given the task of swinging the long rope for the kids to practice skipping. At age 5, many of them could not yet skip, or were just learning; but they had so much fun trying!  Then, several weeks later when I got to repeat the same activity with them, they were much improved and still thoroughly enjoying it! After that first experience I went straight to the hardware store, bought a long rope, and that evening skipped with my kids in the yard. My husband turned the rope for me to skip when he returned from work, and I loved being able to skip again, but realised that I can no longer skip for as long as I could as a school girl!

Be a kid again and improve your fitness

Most young children do have a good level of fitness, and it is very easy to encourage them to keep that level or raise it, while also maintain or improving your own fitness level by joining in fun games and activities with them.

I am trying to explore different methods of keeping fit with my kids by going back to my youth and re-exploring childhood activities and games. I can tell you, some of the games have turned out to be the best workouts I've had in ages!  All in a day's work for the kids though - who don't see it as a workout - just as having fun!

Welcome to 'Be Our Best'

Everyone wants the best for their children - and this does not necessarily mean for them to be World Class athletes, or Nobel Prize winners.  We can ask no more from our children and from ourselves, than to be the best we can possibly be. To fulfill our incredible potentials in what our bodies and minds are capable of. 

This endeavour should not have to cost large sums of money, or require special skills and tools.  There is so much that we can do to reach our potential, by utilising the simple resourses we already have, and doing activities that are achievable and fun for everyone.  Books, tools and educational resources all have their place, and can be valuable supplementary additions , but they are not a necessity in order for us all to Be Our Best.

Watching our children learn is a joy and is also a learning experience for myself.  Seeing their capacity to learn both amazes and inspires me.  Children are constantly learning and improving themselves, in everything they do, and they are having fun doing it!  I would love to be like a child again, and have fun learning and growing as a person.

I have been lucky enough to have been a

 full-time stay-at-home mum to my children; and before they went to school, spent time with them helping them learn – from learning to walk and talk, to feeding themselves and then early literacy and numeracy.   Once they started school however, knowing that each day they were going off to learn and be taught,  I felt the onus lifted a little from me in terms of teaching them everything. 

I do however feel strongly that parents should continue to educate their children throughout life.   School teachers can only teach so much to a whole classroom of children, whereas parents can continue to provide one to one personal attention for their children to add to the learning they do each and every day they attend school.

As human beings we all have a massive capacity to learn, far beyond anything that anyone really uses.  I have always been fascinated by stories of people overcoming mental and physical disabilities, and the power of the brain to adapt and heal.  Imagine this power and ability used not just to heal and overcome, but also to improve and grow.

My aim is to give our children the best possible start in life, by helping them to learn, and in doing so, improve myself and my abilities.  This website is a way to share this journey with the countless others around the world trying to achieve the same end.  It is an opportunity to record my experiences, share the knowledge I am gaining, and also learn from others as discussion ensues from each topic and post. 

I hope you will find things here that interest and inspire you, but also that you will add your own voice, opinion and knowledge.