This 'Let's Move!' Ad Isn't Going to Get Kids Moving

Hmmmm... I think I might be on the fence, which is a wierd place for me. I live in an apartment complex and there's no playground. Cars zoom through the parking lot all day long. For those fortunate enough to have a backyard or a public park within walking distance, the "Go outside and play" method is available. I, on the other hand, have to be more resourceful whith my kids' play time. I can't always go outside with them and they are not allowed to be out there without supervision.

They usually end up with at least 30 minutes of outside play everyday, BUT when they do play outside, I don't hover. I give them suggestions like telling one he's a pirate and telling the other he's an alien and they meet on planet Kavorkian for dinner. I let them take it from there. In other words, I give mild suggestions of play. Most of the time this takes place indoors. When we are able to get a house with a yard, things will change. It's all about being resourceful in your own situation.

PS. I took a 30MINUTESADAY outdoor challeng. It's set for the entire month of April. Going to see how that goes :)

GingersnapAlley.com

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I have to admit, I would totally do this to my kids. Not for the exercise benefit, just because I like to tease, and this strikes me as more of a prank than a malicious lie.

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whatever parents always lie to their children, kids are fat, let them get some exercise. ho hum let's move on what else is new?

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Typical government thinking! It's o.k. to lie because in the end it's better for you. DISCUSTING!!!

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What's with the woman in the ad? The first thing I thought when I saw her was "Damn. She ain't got no damn dollar!"

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Not that that ad would ever work in real life, but my mother didn't believe in lying to me. She told me Santa wasn't real. I told her that she was a liar; he shopped at Sears (where I saw that long line of kids that parents take to sit on Santa's lap). Don't lie; if your kid doesn't want to believe it, they won't.

As for exercise, I live in a small town but on the main street that leads to major tows surrounding us. My future kids could play in the yard, but they wouldn't even have a tree to climb. Not that that stops kids from using their imagination.

I was hyper. I flew around the house - and our old neighborhood - bouncing off the walls. I doubt any kid of mine would be any different, and my half-brother certainly isn't. Of course, I was also the kid who always asked the dreaded 'why?'. While I'd like future children to get a bit of sunlight, letting them run around through the house is exercise enough; before a certain age, they'll run around until they crash (which was naptime or bedtime, depending on the hour). I don't subscribe to a living room you don't live in, plastic on the couch you're not allowed to sit on and breakables everywhere, so tearing through the house and yard should be just fine.

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This whole issue seems really foreign to me. I have two grade-school age sons who routinely dump their book bags in the kitchen and dash outside before I can ask about school. I certainly don't have to provide any ideas for their activities (and have gotten a polite, but dismissive, "no thanks" when I've tried). They need to be hounded to come inside and often do so under protest. But a key component here is that we live in a rural area and have a fairly large yard, much of which is surrouned by a white picket fence (no, that's not a joke). In a different environment, I might do things differently.

When I was my boys' age (in the 70's), we lived in a city, in a middle to upper middle class neighborhood. It was situated on a main street which intersected with a major avenue. There wasn't enough yard space for the games the older kids played, so they would play hockey or baseball in the street. Younger kids played on the sidewalk or in between parked cars. We were all very active and had a lot of fun without the watchful eyes of parents upon us.

Of course, there was a dark side to all this - I saw one of the boys get hit by a car (nothing fatal, just a broken leg; lots of fun signing his cast!). When I was 7, an adult male exposed himself to me and tried to trick me to get in his car (I didn't, b/c I was afraid my parents would no longer let me cross the street by myself - that's child logic for you!). When I was 9, I was knocked down and, uh, "inappropriately touched" by a 15 year old, while a group of other children watched (I screamed loud enough for 1/2 the neighborhood to hear, which helped get me out of the situation, but I was later scolded by my parents for being so loud and disruptive in our peaceful neighborhood).

So, those were the good ol' days of happy, active children, playing outside, free from constant parental presence. I don't mean to validate or justify helicopter parenting, but those who are quick to criticize the neurotically-involved, protective parent will just as readily attack the judgment of a parent who gives their child a longer leash, once something goes wrong. So, instead of ridiculing the parents trying to find a safe and healthy way to raise their children, why don't we just admit that it's really hard finding that middle ground between the crazy, manipulative mom in Stephen King's Carrie and the unbridled freedom in Lord of the Flies?

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The biggest problem is the deception. Kids need to be taught healthy habits, and tricking them into exercising and eating healthy is not going to benefit them at all when they grow up. For instance, if you make "chicken nuggets" and fill them with wheat germ and ground veggies and other healthy ingredients, it doesn't matter because all your kid sees is "chicken nuggets." He doesn't know or care if you bake them or fry them, or what's in the batter. When he moves out, he'll eat commercial chicken nuggets, full of garbage and fat. Teach him how to eat healthy and to prepare healthy balanced meals with whole foods, and teach him to adopt any kind of exercise routine: a sport, a run or just active outside time. Once it becomes part of his life, he won't ever have to struggle with obesity at any age.

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Bad ad for what it wanted to get across. I wonder when it's going to become law. After all the government is stating that people are just too stupid to raise their kids. A government that embraces lying, hmm, how original.

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Our kids and grandkids are not safe playing anywhere outside. Sex offenders and pedophiles are everywhere. Law enforcement and judges are soft in sentencing because many of them are also pedophiles. Pedophiles need to be executed or imprisoned for life. No human has the right to assault another human for sexual pleasure, especially a child! Our constitution seems to protect everything vile and rotten in this country but not our innocent children. Sad,Sad,Sad.

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THANK YOU for the article. This ad annnoyed me. Lying to your children is disrespectful. The mom butting in to the child's every minute, followed by a smug smile, is self-centered and, again, disrespectful. It will 1)teach the kid he is unworthy and 2)not help the kid get more activity.

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My dad was very strict. If we complained or made a fuss on the way to or at a restaurant, he would immediately take us all home even if we hadn't had a bite yet. He did not spare the rod either. None of us disrespect him. He's 87 now and dying, and I'm the only child left from our family of 5. I don't regret growing up under his tutelage and will love him until the day he dies. I was never strict with my kids and now they are spoiled brats that can never take care of themselves. The old ways are the best as far as child discipline is concerned. Spare the rod and spoil the child is, in my book, a perfect truth as long as the spanking person doesn't carry it too far. Punishment should always match the crime, and abuse will cause permanent, emotional scarring. So, be stern but fair.

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Seriously? It's just a commercial, let's not read too much into it and start making a lot of absurd assumptions. Should we be looking forward to an unnecessary over analysis of Snuggie ads in the near future?

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I am so tired of seeing the "Adult Activity" advertisements by dfherdtur said... and others. Can't AOL monitor what is being posted? Or is AOL a partner in thies advertisements?

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To this sadly uptight author I say...the kids moving, lighten up!

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you don't know how wrong you are. working mom's can't let their kids outside while they're gone and have to keep them in the house all day or stick them into a daycare. my mom is not a working mom and i'm home-schooled but guess what! i'm usually outside all day (after i finish my work of coarse) and my friends and i are always building forts and riding bikes and stuff like that. I am trusted enough to go down to the creek and ride bikes in the neighborhood! (btw fyi i'm 13 )

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