The basis of my philosophy as a Registered Dietitian (RD) and as a Health Educator is this:
Every single one of us, regardless of size and physical health, deserves to be happy today. Every single one of us can make a choice/choices today that will positively impact our health.
I don't like to teach people what perfect looks like, I like to teach people how to make choices that will help them be a little bit more healthful today. When I see people approach wellness from this perspective, I see them succeed. What do I mean by "succeed"? Success, in this venue, means finding peace - both physically and emotionally. I don't want the number on the scale to determine their happiness for the day. I want clients to respect their bodies and make decisions that reflect that respect.
Obviously two of my most important "clients" are my sons. While my expertise lies in the world of nutrition, I am keenly aware of the necessity of regular physical activity.
I have two extremely energetic boys. They can't have too much downtime or they become whiny and destructive. My solution? Organized activities. One activity/day that burns some energy, makes them laugh, and gets us out of the house is the goal. In addition to focusing their energy, I want the boys to learn to make physical fitness and activity a part of their daily lives. I played in the band, the orchestra, took piano lessons . . . I never played an organized sport and didn't get into exercising until my twenties. While the lessons I learned through music are important, I really wish I had also learned to love physical activity. It seems so much easier to start your kids on a healthy active path, than to try to learn that later in life, the way I have had to. With all of this in mind, it is extremely important to me that the kids have a positive experience when they are engaging in physical activities. I want their teachers and coaches to be enthusiastic and supportive and to share a philosophy of health that is similar to mine.
Tennis is amazing. When I leave the courts my face hurts from smiling so much. There are 8 kids between 4 and 6 years old in Ky's class. They volley and giggle, giggle and volley. Ky's tennis coach is a student and on the UNR tennis team. He can't be more than 20 years old. He has what I think of as a soft temperament. He is able to express sincere enthusiasm, without being silly or losing the kids' attention. It cannot be easy keeping the focus and attention of that many preschoolers. Somehow this kid does it. It has been a very cool experience for Kyle and for me. One day as we walked off the courts Kyle asked me, "so were you really impressed with me today?". Of course I was. I always am.
Both Kyle and Eric are taking swimming lessons at Little Ones Swim. They have spent no time in the pool up to this point in their lives because of chronic ear infections. The woman who owns the swim school has taught infants and toddlers to swim for 20-some odd years. She has a degree in child development and her experience exudes from her. She is super low key and would never think of making the kids do anything they don't want to do. Eric isn't much of a risk taker right now so it is imperative that swimming be fun and not at all stressful. Ms. Margie knows when to push and when to step back and it is fun to watch her skillful teaching. Ky and Eric are both making progress and thoroughly enjoying their lessons. I think they swallow a ton of water just because they are always grinning in the pool.
Soccer is OK. There are what seems like a zillion kids on the field and they are all too far away for me to really assess what is going on. Getting to soccer is a bit of a struggle just because it is at the end of the day when my narcolepsy is at its worst. We all seem to do better with morning activities. I have to take my cues from Kyle when it comes to soccer and so far he is happy before, during and after practice. While tennis and swimming will continue thru the entire summer, soccer ends in June. Thank gawd for small favors.
You would think that with all of this activity that we run the risk of an overuse injury, right? Last week we did have an injury. Kyle tripped on a toy in the living room and sprained his ankle. After a trip to the doctor, some x-rays and a couple days of rest and ice he is no longer limping. Whew.
