Module 3: Working with Parents to Promote Children's Physical Activity |
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Adults’ Role in Promoting Physical Activity
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The term “parent” is used for the adult or adults responsible for a child. This could also be a grandparent, aunt, uncle, grandparent, or legal guardian. |
Parents have the most influence on young children’s activities because young children spend most of their time in their parents’ care. This is true even for children in child care programs.
Parents want advice from people they trust about raising their child. Parents often trust family members, friends, doctors and nurses, child care providers, and others who work in health care and social services.
Child care providers can give parents information and support on issues affecting young children’s physical activity. This can help parents encourage their child to be physically active. To help parents, child care providers need to understand parents’ lifestyles and values. Child care providers should not make parents feel guilty if their child is not physically active enough.
Development of the curriculum was supported by a grant (T79MCO9805) from the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau,
to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Nutrition.