Page 66 - RPA May 2020

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LITTLE LEGENDS
FROM PAGE 63
“They participate in incidental activity through growing herbs and working their gardens,” Ms Holmes said.
“I’m a big fan of encouraging incidental activity in kids and feel kitchen gardens are a perfect example of how kids can be motivated to move and learn instead of sitting in front of a screen. It’s an example of making incidental exercise full of fun and variety. I think parents
and pharmacy assistants would do well to encourage similar incidental activity in kids.”
Parents can also play a role by exercising themselves and making exercise an activity that unites the family. They should set time aside for exercise as an integral part of the day; assist children to play in a manner suited to their age, eg, with games that they enjoy, such as putting up an obstacle course in a garden; and find ways for children to have incidental exercise, such as getting them to race to a tree when at a park.
Ms Holmes stresses the importance
of parents “embracing” a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, and in this way becoming positive role models for
their children.
“This will definitely play a part in incentivising kids to have a healthy amount of exercise,” she said, “and it’s so important that activity is associated with fun. If a kid is forced into some exercise they don’t want to do, it just won’t work.”
Ms Mahoney adds that lack of exercise can often be a problem after school, during school holidays, or when children leave school.
“It’s really hard to allocate responsibility – as to who is responsible for keeping kids active,” she said. “People have different priorities and every family situation is different. Some parents have the time and money to support their
kids’ participation in organised sport, swimming, ballet or whatever appeals to them and have a family ethos of being active.”
Others do not, she adds.
“Despite these differences, kids should be prompted to do incidental activity whenever the opportunity presents itself,” she said.
“Limiting time spent in front of a screen is challenging for most parents. I know, because I have a 10-year-old son.
“I think it’s all about setting boundaries and guidelines through example, such as no one in the family having access
to screens after dinner.
“At the end of the day, if a parent is
always on the phone or looking at a screen, it stands to reason that kids will do the same. It’s really all about ‘monkey see, monkey do’.”
Ms Holmes feels there will always be something to distract children.
“Now the problem is digital, whereas when we were growing up it was screens,” she said. “It’s an age-old problem that will continue to insidiously find its way in, which means effort has to go into involving kids in exercise and to get them to do it without thinking.”
Pharmacy involvement
Pharmacists and pharmacy assistants can help kids become more active by being involved in the community and with their customers.
“In this relationship and milieu, they become trusted advisers who are taken seriously when they introduce concepts,” Ms Mahoney said.
“This translates to when a customer comes in and explains, for example, that their child isn’t sleeping well, and the pharmacist or pharmacy assistant responds conversationally with questions – such as inquiring
as to whether the child is sleeping adequately, getting enough exercise and spending enough time screen-free.
“It’s all about having a conversation and looking at an issue from many angles, which should be the approach taken with every topic.”
Ms Holmes suggests pharmacies could offer an interactive tool providing information that encourages children to exercise.
RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • MAR 2020