Vimal and Priya Abraham, 38 and 41, respectively, organise weekly community running camps that culminate in an event each year in Chennai, called Riot-a-thon. “The aim is to promote fitness and make running a family affair,” says Vimal, who, along with his wife, has run a marathon and more than 25 half-marathons over the years. The idea though, was to bring their 9-year-old, Rhea Anna, into the fitness zone. The family highlight is the weekend cycling trip that the three of them take together, exploring the countryside nearby. .
Around the country, parents are taking their children’s fitness seriously, motivating them, leading by example, introducing them to sport, and even doing outdoor-sy things together. Here’s why.
There’s a sense of extended family bonding. When the Abrahams organise the community run, they see participation from everyone from 3 to 70. “It’s a great feeling when someone walks up to us and says the community run got them to take up running seriously. The 2017 edition saw about 600+ participants. In fact, over 40% of our running group members are either couples or families whose kids also run with them often,” says Vimal. For many in the neighbourhood, the event is just another way of getting children excited about running with the family, he says.
They hope that their kids will not fall prey to unhealthy habits. “I always talk about the benefits and let my son slowly appreciate it and show interest from his end. There is a bit of nudging but never a hard push,” says Deepak Raj, who recently represented India at the Ironman World Championship in Kona. He adds, “It helps to have both mom and dad on board, which then helps to establish the right habits. In our case, my wife Hema has set the right example with him: she does her bit of walking 4 km a few times and cooks the right food.”
It helps with building relationships. For Delhi-based Rakesh and Deepshikha Mawa, both in their forties, running and mountaineering have become a way for them to bond with their daughter while juggling corporate jobs. “Sheen is 8, and she came trekking with us to the Panchachuli Base Camp in Uttarakhand this May,” says Rakesh, proudly. Physical exertion is nothing new for this trio, who even have a climbing wall installed at home for some good old family fun. In fact, the couple has taken part in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon from its very inception.
It feeds into all-round development. “It’s not just about physical fitness. Sports and exercise are an important part of personality development: they teach you discipline, how to deal with stress, how to be good leaders, how to face a crowd, and more,” says Divya Jain, sports and counselling psychologist and head of Psychological Services at the Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare, Gurugram. Tack onto that a system that not only supports the endeavour but also participates and leads it, and a child gets an even bigger boost.
It’s entertainment, sans screens. “Weekends are a great way to get kids active and 2 days out of 7 is a good start,” says Raj. He tries to keep his son interested in different activities, with twice-a-week swim classes and takes him to live games in matches so 7-year-old Abhay can soak in the live action.
