Welcome to Gaia! ::

First and foremost:

http://www.myspace.com/amandamercutio

I think that link should work should the next link I use not work. Go to my albums and Disney on my profile if you'd like to see some of the photos from my recent trip!

Pictures from Trip

One of those should work, if not, tell me.

Well, I've had some major thoughts since my trip. One is how BIG the kids in strollers have gotten! When I was little my parents wouldn't let me ride in a stroller past a certain age. More and more I am seeing 7-10 year olds capable of walking in strollers! Now I'm not talking about children with disabilities, those youngsters had actual wheelchairs or scooters, equipment designed to work with their disabilities. Some people argue it is easier for the kids to ride in the strollers, and that kids tire out easy in the big parks. I understand walking all day is tiring-- but couldn't you take frequent breaks, drink lots of water, and pace yourself?

I just worry about the inactivity of today's children. Childhood obesity is on the rise, and I know dietary habits have taken on a sizable portion of the blame. I'm just distressed at these parents. Some of my friends are very obese, and some of them have lost mobility due to it. I feel as an American I live in a country that makes physical exercise a pathogen. More and more people are losing mobility not due to paralysis, Parkinson's, or MS, but due to obesity. Walking a block on level ground, a fairly easy task, has transformed into some great challenge.

What are people's thoughts? When is "too old" for a stroller? Is lack of physical exercise a problem? I admit I do not go to the gym as often as I should, nor do I always live healthy. But I do think our bodies were designed to move from time to time, and there is a thrill in how we can move. I just fear that when parents don't stay firm on the exercise their children will suffer. Even though more people are overweight, the overweight kids (and adults) still get teased. Also, walking should be a pleasure, not some foreign activity.

Haha, probably because Dad is inactive and weak, and Junior weighs 110 pounds at age 4!

You know I totally agree, kids shold not be in strollers past 4 to 5 years or younger if you can get away with it. My nieces are a good example. Oh is really active and likes to be outside all day and night if she can but the other one, I can't get her off the computer even if I tell her to.

The older one (COMPUTER) is big boned and takes after her dad and well she's not fat or anything just big bones. I really hate it when I around and my parents and her family calls her fat. Talking about giviing her a complex. They regulate her food intake and if I was her I would starve okay. I think the girl just eats rice and soy sauce. Anyways, That's not a diest for a growing girl, she's only like 13 and she's also tall for her age too. When I have them I let them eat good stuff like health stuff and we do activites outside that's fun for everyone. It's just that her family my sister and brother-in-law doesn't do anything outside with them and they eat so much fatty foods and OMG a lot of JUNK food.

I believe the average for women in this country is like 12 or 13. I don't blame people for their weight or anything because well some is in the genes.

Take my friend Mike, he was a big kid growing up and so was his dad. He told be his mom wouldn't let anyone leave the dinner table till everything was gone. Now that's too extrem, plus he's Italian so you know how big dinner was but now he's like built and he controlls his eating and excerise all the time.

So I guess it all depends on everything around you. Anyways I'm getting off the subject, I usually have to unplug the computer and disable it and hide th playstation when they come around. The little one tends to play outside and I usually find some how to get the older one outside. You know like let's got o the mall and we window shop or shop around the mall for like 2 to 3 hours. She never knows she's exercising beacuse it's fun.

Ditto! I couldn't view them either. sweatdrop

That is out of control!! I really can't believe parents would allow that to happen! No wonder childhood obesity is such a problem!! They're getting pushed around whilst chowing down on their MacDonalds!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2077296&l=57e59&id=33310994

we'll try that one and see where it gets us.

I agree Headhunter. I see sedentary activities taking the blame- but I think it's about the balance. Kids had sedentary activities before XBox and TV... we called them... BOOKS. I think parents do not model a love of physical movement in their own lives.

I'm not an in shape person. But I think being Kinetic on occasion is one of those urges. Dance, run, walk, make sweet lovin', bowl, ride a bike, row a boat, climb every mountain, search every stream, throw a ball, bounce on a trampoline, whatever makes you happy-- move.

It's like my tabby. If he sleeps around the house all day suddenly he has to chase -something-, he spazzes out.

I mean people will drive around for 10 minutes for a "close" parking spot, when an available spot is just three-four spots away. I understand if you have arthritis or something, but physical exertion has become the enemy of America.

I say the States because I know a lot of other countries are far more active.

Pretty pictures, I like. Was that your mom? and what was the souvenir? biggrin