Below are both the reactions of my children to the program and also the improvement that I saw with them over a four week period. In some things my children were ahead of the standards because they have been doing sit-ups and push-ups since they were very young because their daddy is in the military and they would “help” him work out. Don’t assume that your children need to be at that same level even after doing the program. Each child progresses at a different pace. It is hard to get much commentary out of the younger kids but my eight year-old gave me a little. The kids really do have a lot of fun each day—I think that I still need to let them know that it is exercise because the word “exercise” still has a bad connotation for the younger boys.
8 year-old girl
“I think exercising is really great. I hope that everyone does it. I’m glad that it makes us strong. I love to do jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, and jump rope. I love to run really fast. I like to skip with my dad and mom and brothers. There is one thing I don’t like about it…it makes me sweat!”
1-Mile Run/Walk
Standard: 14:00 minutes
Beginning: 13:47
Ending: 13:44
Sit and Reach
Standard: 10.0 inches
Beginning: 10.3 inches
Ending: 10.9 inches
Sit-ups
Standard: 25
Beginning: 32
Ending: 34
Pull-ups
Standard: 1
Beginning: 1
Ending: 1
6 year-old boy
“My favorite thing about exercising is that it can help me grow. I like to do push-ups, jumping jacks, swimming and running.”
1-Mile Run/Walk
Standard: 15:00 minutes
Beginning: 15:43
Ending: 15:04
Sit and Reach
Standard: 10.0 inches
Beginning: 10.5 inches
Ending: 11.1 inches
Sit-ups
Standard: 20
Beginning: 20
Ending: 23
Pull-ups
Standard: 1
Beginning: 0
Ending: 1
5 year-old boy
“Jumping jacks and running. And I love doing sit-ups. And push-ups. I like to exercise only a little.”
1-Mile Run/Walk
Standard: 16:00 minutes
Beginning: 15:56
Ending: 15:44
Sit and Reach
Standard: 10.0 inches
Beginning: 10.6 inches
Ending: 10.9 inches
Sit-ups
Standard: 20
Beginning: 22
Ending: 24
Pull-ups
Standard: 1
Beginning: 0
Ending: 1
3 year-old boy
“I like to do push-ups. Ummm, jumping jacks. I like to play. That’s it. That’s all”
I didn’t give him the fitness evaluation since he is still so young. But he can do more than when we started and is improving just like the other kids.
