topic Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old in Mom to Mom

Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

brandiwine — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 22:23:52 GMT

Just curious from you moms of young kids. My granddaughter is wearing one of these and her mom wants her to accomplish a certain amount of high level activity daily. She gets time on her mom's I Pad when she does this. My sweet DIL has horrible image problems as does her sister, mom, and aunts. Am I just out of touch, or is this a bit much? I hate the thought of another generation of women feeling bad about themselves.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

mistyada — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 22:27:17 GMT

It is just encouraging healthy exercise. People of all sizes and shapes use trackers. It improves healthy habits and does not body shame. Many doctors recommend them.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

PA Mom-mom — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 22:34:44 GMT

@brandiwine I would think that her mom will pretty much know how much activity she is up to without a tracker. When I was a child, my brothers and I got a ton of exercise, but my one brother had to go the the "hefty" section of the store. Now he weighs less than me! (He runs miles every day) Exercise should be fun, not a chore. If you take your kids outdoors and turn them loose at a park, they will figure out what to do. Or, play ball with them. Heck, when my kids were driving me crazy with fighting, I told them to run around the outside of the house 10 times. Hahaha! When it rained, they made forts out of the living room furniture, or I would play something like of Carnival of the Animals or Royal Fireworks music, and we would pretend we were animals or fireworks. Take away that tablet!

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

Big Joanie — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 22:42:46 GMT

Sure excersise is benefical ...

BUT SHE'S SIX .....

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

luvmybeetle — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 22:47:26 GMT

@brandiwine wrote:
Just curious from you moms of young kids. My granddaughter is wearing one of these and her mom wants her to accomplish a certain amount of high level activity daily. She gets time on her mom's I Pad when she does this. My sweet DIL has horrible image problems as does her sister, mom, and aunts. Am I just out of touch, or is this a bit much? I hate the thought of another generation of women feeling bad about themselves.

I agree that children need more activity in these days, but you can also over-do the activity which can be too much. Forcing this little girl to do things just for the sake of image is certainly not good. Our daughters and granddaughters have been pushed too much to look like models. Any activity is good instead of looking into any kind of pad all day long.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

Sooner — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 22:52:48 GMT

Like it or not, women are judged by their image. And women lead the pack in doing this to other women.

Not judging or saying good or bad or shame on. . . just stating a fact. I don't see this changing any time soon.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

Mz iMac — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 00:26:42 GMT

"her mom wants her to accomplish a certain amount of high level activity daily."

Send her to the playground & call it a day!

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

queendiva — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 00:42:35 GMT

JMO, but were it my six year old daughter I would save the cost of a fitness tracker and enroll her in age appropriate physical activities, such as dance or gymnastics. Develops the brain along with the body in ways that could never be calculated on a computer. A fitness tracker is solitary; a class allows the child to participate with other children and develop much needed social skills.

I would never use food or a tablet as a reward. Time with books, art supplies, games and favorite toys are appropriate rewards as are encouraging words, smiles and hugs from parents.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

brandiwine — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 00:53:46 GMT

Thank you ladies! Glad to know I'm not alone in my concerns. My granddaughter loves to be outside playing and playing different sports. Now it's becoming a chore with expectations and a disappointed look from mom if she doesn't make her numbers. I never worried about my son getting enough exercise. Playing in a park or neighborhood with friends was always enough, My granddaughter is involved in t-ball, dance, swimming, and a running program via her mom. She's very thin, but healthy. I find it over the top, but they are the parents and I won't say anything. I'll just reinforce I love her just the way she is.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

meem120 — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 01:22:34 GMT

That’s just crazy. She’s 6. Can’t a kid be a kid anymore ?

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

GCR18 — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 03:08:08 GMT

I could see if she asked for it, sure why not. Being given one though with expectations seems extreme for a six year old. I agree it's best not to say anything.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

september — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 03:23:28 GMT

@brandiwine I'm curious as to why you think wearing a fitness tracker would make a child (or anyone) "feel bad about themselves". It's a tool that can encourage all of us to more active. I wear one, my kids all wear them, and my grandchildren are only two, but I can see them asking for them, once they're older.

All daily activities count toward steps, so kids can still go to the playground, gymnastics, whatever they normally do. And if they have a day without a planned activity.....then maybe fit in a walk before doing a sedentary activity (like using electronics). Sounds to me like your daughter in law is a good mom!

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

blackhole99 — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 03:40:15 GMT

If she is not over weight and is active on her own, I think her mother is setting her up for esteem issues down the road. If she is over weight and not active a tracker may seem like fun for a 6 year old and get her moving more.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

september — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 03:45:17 GMT

I don't see an activity tracker as a weight loss tool. I have one and have never been overweight. Same with all my family members who have them.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

mimomof4 — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 16:36:53 GMT

My 2 youngest had Garmin Activity Trackers when they were 5 & 6. Lots of young kids in school wear them because their parents are wearing them as well. They wanted them and it was a game to hit their target each day. Again all their idea not mine. I have enough self esteem issues myself so I'm not pushing it on them as well.

The Garmin Vivo-Fit which your granddaughter likely has includes the ability to bank coins from completing certain activities such as cleaning your room, brushing your teetch, finishing homework etc. Those coins can be used to redeem "rewards" which you as the parent set. In this case I don't think the Vivo Fit is such a bad idea.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

chrystaltree — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 20:53:33 GMT

Yes, I would also be troubled by 6 year old using a tracker. To what end? My nephew and his wife want their 5 year old to stay active too. To be up and moving and away from her electronic gizmos. She takes cheerleader classes and in competition. She takes a Saturday morning swim class. They take her to the Aquarium and the Science museum a lot. It's fun and education but she also has to do a lot of walking with those little legs. I think they want to instill good habits in her that will become a part of who she is. I don't think a tracker doses that for 5 or 6 year old.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

riley1 — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 21:42:02 GMT

IMO, I think a tracker on a 6 y/o is ridiculous. I'm guessing she goes to school and is busy there so what more can be done during the week? Maybe your DIL can enroll her in gymnastics or dance class as a better way to get her moving.

Since you mentioned your DIL has horrible image problems, this is just the beginning of her passing this on to her daughter.

What she needs to try and do is show her a healthy way of eating/snacking, etc. Bribing her with time on an ipad if she excercises isn't the way to to do it.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

september — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 03:17:59 GMT

@mimomof4 wrote:
My 2 youngest had Garmin Activity Trackers when they were 5 & 6. Lots of young kids in school wear them because their parents are wearing them as well. They wanted them and it was a game to hit their target each day. Again all their idea not mine. I have enough self esteem issues myself so I'm not pushing it on them as well.

The Garmin Vivo-Fit which your granddaughter likely has includes the ability to bank coins from completing certain activities such as cleaning your room, brushing your teetch, finishing homework etc. Those coins can be used to redeem "rewards" which you as the parent set. In this case I don't think the Vivo Fit is such a bad idea.

I just checked out the junior versions of the Garmin. They look like something most kids would really enjoy! I can see my granddaughters wanting them in a few years.

They have excellent reviews on Amazon.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

september — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 04:40:23 GMT

Just want to say that many schools have cut back on PE classes. Gymnastics or dance classes for young children are typically 1 hour/ week. Children (adults too) should fit in some physical activity every day.

Not sure why anyone is opposed to this. It has nothing to do with "body image"and is just the right thing to do.

Re: Garmin activity tracker for 6 year old

CalminHeart — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:35:15 GMT

Good grief. The 6 yr old will be scarred about her body image for the rest of her life.

If someone wants to know where their kids are, fine. If someone is monitoring their exercise/activity, they are going to warp their kid's sense of body image. To me, it's abusive.