Do you have an iPad at your house? The grandparents gave iPads to both of my boys so that they could use them to FaceTime each other. That was a great idea since we live so far away and they don’t get to see each other as much as they would like to. Now FaceTiming the 13 year old is relaxing, but when they grandparents FaceTime Bobby, the 7 year old, they better watch out!
Bobby is very into exercise and fitness and can even do push ups while clapping in between. He learned how to do those clapping push ups after practicing over and over while watching someone do it on YouTube. Bobby loves to do the family workouts at the YMCA and is also pushing me to enter him in a race. With that said, Bobby heard Grandma talk about needing to get a little more exercise and then, it was on. Now Bobby takes the iPad into the game room, shuts the door and calls Grandma. Once they can see each other on Facetime, he gets in the floor and starts “coaching her.” He has her do crunches, push ups, etc. If he can think of it, he shows her how and watches until she finishes his “fitness” assignment for her. This will go on for quite awhile and will even continue a few nights in a row if Bobby thinks about it.
Lucky for Grandma, she has an elliptical in her house too. There is even a great tray that will hold their iPads while they FaceTime and “ride together.” Think back to your childhood, would your grandmother ever have agreed to be coached by you in a nightly workout over the phone, or even in person? My grandma wouldn’t have agreed to anything like this, but thinking back, I wasn’t geared towards exercise like Bobby is.
Spring Break was last week and the Grandparents came to Texas so they could go to the Houston Rodeo with us. Walking the rodeo all day is a good workout, but not enough for Bobby. He received a heavy duty hula hoop from Santa for Christmas and he decided that he and Grandma needed to have hula hoop competitions. He thought they should time each other to see who could last the longest before dropping the hula hoop. So out came the iPad with the large timer and the competitions began! You know who won, right? One time I glanced over at Bobby’s iPad timer and he was up to minutes non stop hula hooping! I used to hula hoop as a kid, but I know better than to go up against my hula hoop champ so I just watched and let Grandma have all the fun.
If you have an iPad, smart phone or tablet in your home, how do your children use it? Is there any physical activity involved or all web surfing and games?
