We all struggle with motivation from time to time.
But what can you do when you have a lazy child that doesn’t seem to understand the many benefits that being active can bring? Let’s look at how we can help motivate them…
By making exercise fun and rewarding from a young age we can cement it into our children’s routines and encourage them to have an active lifestyle. Staying active, along with getting good nutrition and sufficient sleep, is one of the best ways to ensure a healthy life for your child
How can I make my lazy son active?
1. Introduce a new activity
Enrolling your child in a new activity is a great way to encourage more physical activity. Countless activities can help get children of all ages off the couch and out having fun! Whether it’s indoor or outdoor, team-based or individual, take some time to explore the options available and find something that suits your child’s interests. Some popular activities include rock climbing, archery, basketball, swimming lessons, martial arts classes, dance classes or even just taking regular walks around the neighbourhood. It really doesn’t matter what the activity is! Consistency is key and being active doing anything is better than being inactive doing nothing. So take the time to find what your son enjoys and then encourage him to keep at it.
Another reason to get your son out doing new activities is for cognitive development. Getting out of his comfortable routine and trying new things may seem daunting, but the cognitive benefits of doing so are endless. Studies have shown that breaking out of a familiar pattern can improve memory, sharpen focus, and even alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Encourage your child to find an activity they genuinely enjoy, whether it be biking, swimming, or even just taking a walk in nature. It may take some time and experimentation, but the rewards of discovering a passion for exercise will pay off in the long run(1).
Read about more reasons to get your son out of his comfort zone here…
2. Set a routine for the day
Creating a daily routine can be an effective way to get your child more active. Structure their days around physical activity, making sure that exercise is part of their daily agenda. This may mean waking up earlier to walk the dog or performing manual jobs for the family after school. Scheduling these activities will help keep your child motivated and on track with maintaining an active lifestyle.
It is important to remember that children are still developing, so you need to set realistic goals that fit their age and skill level. Instead of pushing them too hard, take some time each day to get creative and find fun ways to stay fit together as a family. Taking short walks or bike rides in the park, playing tag outside, or having impromptu dance-offs in the living room are all great ways to get your child active and having fun.
How much exercise should your son get a day? Find out here…
In addition, try setting clear expectations for your child such as: playing in the garden for at least 20 minutes a day; or never sitting looking at a screen for more than 30 minutes without getting up. By encouraging this sort of behaviour early you can make it into a habit.
Establishing a daily routine for your child can provide structure and stability, and making sure they have time each day to be active can have immense benefits for their health and well-being. Especially for an unmotivated child, incorporating physical activity into their routine can be crucial in getting them up and moving(2).
3. Find ways to make activities enjoyable
I’m sure a lot of us have experienced the need for this. Especially when you begin exercising for health and to look better, you watch what other people do and copy it. I still know people that drag themselves out on runs even though they hate it just because they think it’s the only way to lose fat. Or those that follow a boring and unmotivating weights programme because they think it’s the only way to build muscle.
The truth is that, while some training methods are more effective at certain outcomes, doing the exercise you enjoy for years is so much better than doing one you don’t for 3 months. So if you want your son to have a healthy relationship with exercise and explore all the activities that he loves, then help him find one early. Try not to force him into something that he really doesn’t like if you can help it.
What activities does your son enjoy? I’d love to hear in the comments! Has he thought about weightlifting but is worried that it might stunt his growth? Learn the truth here!
One strategy is to find activities that align with his interests. For example, if he loves dancing, sign him up for a dance class. Even if you’re a hardcore football fan and you hate the idea of your son learning to dance. There’ll be so many more long-term benefits from him doing a sport he enjoys. Then maybe when he gets older he can put his coordination and balance into practice by dominating on the football pitch. And if not? How many men do you know that learn to dance as an adult to get a girl? Your son will be well ahead of the game.
If he enjoys team sports, encourage him to join a local team. It’s also important to keep things fresh and engaging by trying out new activities or locations. Take a family hike in a nearby park or plan a bike ride on a new trail. Additionally, incorporating games and challenges into physical activity can make it more enjoyable. Set up an obstacle course in the backyard, or time him as he plays on every piece of equipment in the park. Have fun!
4. Offer special rewards for engaging in physical activities
I do this all the time! One of my favourite days out with my children is to go somewhere new and do a treasure hunt. It keeps them entertained so that they don’t realise how far they’re walking and the promise of buried treasure (chocolate coins at the end) spurs them on even harder. As today is Easter Sunday, what better reason could there be for a long Easter egg hunt? Make a treasure map or just some simple clues and get them walking. You won’t feel nearly as bad for all the chocolate they eat and you won’t believe how much fun it can be. The last one I did was in the Welsh hills in the pouring rain and none of the children complained once, they were having that much fun.
You can make your own treasure hunt or there’s a great company that does them for just about everywhere in the UK! They just send you a pdf with the clues and off you go. If you get the answer right then there’s even a chance to win £100. I’ll leave the link below. I’m not an affiliate or anything, I’ve just had some great days out because of them and this is the least I can do.
https://www.treasuretrails.co.uk/
A great way to motivate your son if he’s not naturally inclined to be active is to offer exciting rewards for engaging in physical activities (as with the coins above). These rewards could include things like a trip to a favourite restaurant, a day out at an amusement park, or a new toy or gadget. And it doesn’t have to just be physical treats. Another thing I do for my son is take him on a walk where we will get to see something that he’s excited by. It could be the sea, a certain animal like a donkey in a field or a waterfall.
By creating a positive association between physical activity and fun experiences, your son will be more likely to be motivated to get outside and move around. With a bit of creativity and effort, it is possible to encourage even the most reluctant child to become more active and enjoy the many benefits of physical exercise.
5. Make sure your son gets sufficient sleep
The importance of sleep for every aspect of your son’s life can’t be overstated. Ensuring that he receives adequate sleep is essential to maintaining his physical and mental well-being. And in this case, a lack of sleep will deprive him of the energy he needs to want to be active the next day. If he suffers from chronic poor sleep or lack of sleep then how can you expect him to be up and about in the daytime?
But how much sleep should he get? Learn here…
Aim for a dedicated sleep schedule that adheres to the recommended number of hours of sleep for their age group (3). Studies have shown that children who do not get enough sleep may experience symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and a weakened immune system (4). All of this clearly won’t give your son the motivation he needs to exercise.
Is your son always tired? Learn more about why here!
Conversely, a good night’s sleep can lead to increased energy levels, better behaviour, and more active engagement throughout the day (5). There are things that you can do to create a calming bedtime routine to relax and prepare your son for a restful sleep (6).
6. Ensure he’s eating a healthy diet
Just as a supercar needs the best quality fuel to be able to operate, your son needs proper nutrition to be able to function. You can’t feed him plates of ultra-processed rubbish and gallons of sugary chemicals but expect him to have the energy to be active.
Inflammatory foods both acutely and chronically cause fatigue due to several reasons including the damage they do to the gut microbiome(7). This disrupts the absorption of nutrients and the myriad of essential processes undertaken by the trillions of bacteria in our gut. If your son has gut issues, is gaining weight or seems excessively tired or depressed then take a look at his diet.
As well as processed junk foods that we all understand are bad, also beware of diets that are promoted as healthy but can cause similar issues. For several decades governments have been promoting low-fat, vegetarian and even vegan diets as the healthiest. There are several reasons why this may have been promoted which I won’t go into here, but needless to say, the concept is wildly inaccurate.
Read here to learn more about how we have evolved to eat meat, and for thousands of years, grains have been for peasants while kings dined on meat!
Diets high in good-quality animal fats provide humans with the nutrients and energy we need to thrive. Diets deficient in animal products from healthy, naturally-fed animals can have serious health consequences, chronic fatigue and malnutrition being among them. So don’t try to boost a lazy child’s energy by fueling him with carbs! Make small changes so that his diet includes things like fatty grass-fed meats, shellfish, butter and bone marrow and watch him excel.
7. Encourage him to get outside and explore nature.
Spending time outdoors in nature sends our psyche back to when our ancestors roamed free. It causes us to de-stress and relax in our evolutionary comfort-zone. The more time your son spends around trees, meadows and hills, the less anxiety will affect his energy levels and the less lazy he will suddenly seem.
Read about the benefits of outdoor play here…
Encouraging your son to explore and play in nature is a wonderful way to keep him active and healthy. Rather than spending hours indoors staring at screens, he can discover the joys of hiking through woods, splashing in rivers and searching for animals.
By helping children engage with the natural world around them, you can foster a sense of curiosity, creativity, and wonder, while also giving them a chance to exercise and soak up plenty of vitamin D in their natural environment. Whether you take your son on a hiking trip or simply encourage him to explore the local park, there are endless opportunities to inspire a love of nature and encourage healthy, active play.
Learn more about sunlight and its power to energise your son here!
Summary
Instil a routine and offer encouragement for your son to keep him active and engaged.
Reduce screen time and direct his energy into more productive activities.
Get outside with him and play some active games together to help him stay motivated.
Identify any unhealthy foods in his diet that might be causing fatigue, such as processed junk food, low-fat diets, or those deficient in animal products from healthy sources.
Increase his intake of good-quality animal fats for essential nutrients and energy.
Spend time in nature with him to reduce anxiety and stress levels and help him exercise.
Inspire a love of nature by taking him on hikes or encouraging exploration of the local park.
Ensure he gets enough sunlight for natural energy boosts and plenty of vitamin D.
If you’d like to learn more about helping your son stay active and healthy, subscribe to our Son of Man newsletter for regular tips and advice. Thanks for reading!
Raise Your Legacy!
References
- Brown, A. (2018). 6 Reasons Why Exercise Is Good for Your Child’s Cognitive Development. Retrieved from https://www.verywellfamily.com/exercise-and-cognitive-development-2634417
- https://journals.lww.com/pediatricsinreview/Fulltext/2015/09000/Benefits_of_Exercise_for_Children_and_Adolescents.3.aspx
- National Sleep Foundation. (n.d.). How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?
- PEDIATRICS Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). Paruthi et al. recommended sleep duration
- Sleep Health Foundation. (n.d.). Children’s Sleep
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Importance of a Bedtime Routine for Your Young Child
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835556/
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