The Epidemic of Generation Z

Sitting here, writing this I am reminded of how I spent a good portion of my Sunday insisting my 9 year old go outside and play, The first nice Sunday we have had in a long time. The sun was shining and the snow melting. I fought in vain, and may have succeeded at getting a full half hour out of it.

Frustrated and confused, I once again gave in, and ended up with a full house of neighborhood kids, whose parents succeeded in the very thing I failed at moments earlier. I know I am not alone, and inspired to research this "epidemic" I have found many interesting facts about our children, our nieces, our nephews and grandchildren. They are called Generation Z and recent studies are showing a increasing trend.

Children and Adolescents spend 45 hours per week watching television, working on the computer, playing video games and watching movies.
- Frank Booth, University of Missouri-Columbia Biomedical researcher

By the time Generation Z is 70, they will have spend 7-10 years of their lives, watching television.
-The Kaiser Family Foundation

Over the last 25 years, childhood obesity rates have tripled.
- Public Health Agency of Canada

Doctors are now seeing more medical problems in overweight children, such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which in the past was only found in adults.
- Hospital for Sick Children

We as parents have to shoulder this blame. Why were we more active as children? Of course when we were kids there may not have been Internet, Play station and Digital Cable. We generally had one TV in the house and it was usually reserved for our parents to watch nighttime programming. I remember as a child spending entire days outside, and complaining profusely for being told to come in. We invented games our children have never dreamed of. I was perfectly content riding my bike around the neighborhood and discovering new things each time.

Our generation forces two income homes, and therefore homemade sit down dinners are not an option. This generation is the generation of convenience, and everything is faster, better and cheaper. The media portrays this very well. You can go to McDonald's for a meal, pay $3.99 and have it in under 3 minutes. On the run meals are becoming increasingly popular. Video games and the Internet are necessities in the world of Generation Z. We as parents find it our duty to find new and innovative ways to entertain our children, even though as children ourselves the ideas were endless. We shower gifts on our children out of repressed guilt for not being there and spending time with them. How do we save them?

To help our kids we have to remember due to budget restraints, our children are NOT getting as much excercise at school. We have to encourage daily activity as a family- a minimum of 30 minutes a day. Sometimes when time is an issue I go out in the front yard, get out a skipping rope, and lead by example. In the summer go for a swim or take walks to the beach. Involve your children in planning the activites.

If your children use the internet and watch TV regularly, negotiate with them. Tell them they have have half and hour of computer or TV time for every half hour of exercise.

Plan healthier meals if at all possible. Cut out to many snacks and replace the regular snacks with healthy ones. Do not eat out more than twice a month.

Most of all remember, our children learn by example, lets get healthier for ourselves and for our future generation.