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TIM GRANTWhile parents work up a sweat, children can, too, instead of lazing about in front of the TV screen.
NORTHDALE - The Sickmon family attends every Florida State University football game, at home and on the road. That means 9-year-old Knox can't join a youth sport that plays games on the weekends.
So they've enrolled him in a program at the Bob Sierra YMCA where he can at least run around, have some fun and sweat. It's called Fit Kids, a noncompetitive exercise class that addresses the growing obesity problem among young children.
"This is a great, safe environment in which he can get the benefits of physical fitness," said Debbie Sickmon.
Fit Kids is free for children ages 6 to 12 whose parents are YMCA members. It's held in the gymnasium from 4:45 to 5:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The idea for Fit Kids grew from employees' seeing far too many overweight children hanging out in the Y's teen center entertaining themselves with PlayStation 2, or sitting around in the nursery watching videos while their parents worked out.
"The more we thought about the situation," said Maggie Beaumont, the Y's fitness director, "we decided we needed to add more programs for kids and give them an idea of what a healthy lifestyle is all about and help them understand why their parents were working out."
Federal statistics show that 15 percent of children are overweight. Health experts say that unless people have a fundamental shift in how they view diet and exercise, obesity could cause a greater strain on the health care system.
Fit Kids started July 6 and will go indefinitely, Beaumont said.
The kids run jump over hurdles, run laps around the basketball court, and do jumping jacks, stretches and lunges.
The exercises are good for them but also hold their interest. About 30 children attended a recent class. They laughed as they bounced basketballs, skipped rope and ran.
"It's fun and it's my PE time," said Nicole Tyrrell, 8. "I like to run around and do the obstacle course."
Several parents watched their children from a bench on the sidelines. Some remembered a simpler time when they spent entire days outside exploring the woods, playing stickball in the streets and giving their friends rides on the handlebars of their bicycles.
"This is very important to Brett," said Crystal Bell of her 8-year-old son. "It's helping with his weight. He has a family history of health and weight problems. I'm trying to get him active young. His doctor actually recommended this program."
Kathy Albro's 5-, 6- and 9-year-olds go to Fit Kids while she works out.
"It seems like it's fun and it's geared toward their age," said Albro, a 41-year-old homemaker who lives in Citrus Park. "My oldest (child) is starting to get sedentary and I want him to get up and get out."
Judy Raab of Carrollwood has two children in the program, 5 and 7.
"My kids are sweaty when they leave here," Raab said.
Fit Kids is offered only twice a week, but the YMCA recently added a once-a-week spin class for kids ages 11 to 17, Beaumont said. Parents can ride the stationary bicycles with their teens. The class is free if the parents are Y members.
- Tim Grant covers Carrollwood and Northdale. He can be reached at 813 269-5311 or at grant@sptimes.com