My parents are British and I have spent a lot of time in England over the years. I have British cousins and I have often compared life in Britain to life here in the States. I like large portions of both and while I am indisputably American, I hold a great deal of respect for our British cousins and in my case, ancestry.
A recent news piece from England discusses that in schools in the United Kingdom have a plan to introduce yoga and dance classes for their 10 to 11 year olds. The idea is to combat obesity and to provide kids with more options. The idea is that they want to offer lots more activity and not only do they trim their weight, but build up energy reserves for their education.
The plan calls for hundreds of schools to pair up with fitness clubs in order to receive certified instruction for their students. The session would provide for building strength and flexibility. The celebrity angle will help out because lots of celebrities are into yoga and dance so it’s appealing to our kids.
The health clubs in Britain are really interested in helping the schools developing these programs because it builds a whole new fit generation. It’s also a great way to encourage new memberships in their clubs.
The idea is a great one. I hope it flies. Because I would love to see something similar offered here in the States. There’s so much we can offer the world, but there’s a great deal we can learn from the rest of them too. Be pro-active – make a suggestion in your local school district. Who knows – enough of us asking for it and a tidal wave of change could help our kids do better academically and physically.
Options are the best gift we give our kids.