Fitness Activities According to Your Parenting Style

The term attachment parenting was first articulated by William Sears, an American pediatrician and author of countless parenting books, along with his wife, Martha, a registered nurse. The driving principle is that children benefit from close and constant interaction with their parents, particularly the mother. In one of Sears' books, The Attachment Parenting Book, he wrote that “babies who are deprived of secure attachment do not grow well. They seem sad. It’s as if they’ve lost their joy of living.”

Common practices of attachment parenting include babywearing, co-sleeping, and extended breastfeeding. Since they are always together, the parent often looks at the cues signaled by the child to determine what to do.

Your Wellness Match: Partner Yoga

Attachment parenting is based on building a relationship. Partner Yoga, an emerging trend in wellness, is when two or more people practice yoga together. Contact is maintained between the partners in order to achieve the yoga poses. This wellness practice is ideal because like attachment parenting, it emphasizes proximity as a way to connect.

Named as such because parents hover like helicopters, this parenting style emphasizes protectiveness and involvement when it comes to raising the child. For example, they immediately intervene during conflict or remove dangerous objects in places where the child will play. In How to Raise an Adult, author Julie Lythcott-Haims postulates that this parenting style emerged as a response of parents to keep their children safe and help them become successful in a changing world.

Your Wellness Match: Detox Retreat

Helicopter parents tend to put a lot of pressure on themselves since they are quite involved in the activities of their children. A detox retreat is a chance for the parents to recharge and center themselves, instead of always concentrating on their kids.

Experience is the best teacher, so says believers of free-range parenting. Parents limit their involvement and instead focus on independence. For instance, they let their children play with minimal supervision. They also encourage them to do tasks, such as cooking, by themselves. The goal of free-range parenting is to instill confidence in their children so they can make decisions on their own.

Your Wellness Match: Nature Hikes

Choosing to practice free-range parenting reveals that the parents are not overly anxious about their surroundings. Adventurous activities such as nature hikes cater to this unfettered nature, while helping achieve health goals.

Wellness is the total care of the person. Its goal is to focus the mind, balance emotions, and energize the body. When it is achieved, it allows parents to be actively involved in their children’s lives. Not only can they keep up with the daily activities, but they can also be more engaged and participative.

There are many ways to achieve wellness. However, they all have the same goal: peace of mind. A sure way to achieve this sense of security is to be invested in health. AIA Vitality is a wellness program that encourages individuals to live a wholesome lifestyle. Points are awarded to members who engage in healthy activities. More points earned mean more rewards.

To find out how parents can be a part of this wellness movement for a worry-free life, check the BPI AIA health programs.