As a therapist I have had to educate several parents through the years that their “creative consequences” were not acceptable to the state agencies that regulate children’s safety. These agencies are called different things in different states, but Child Protective Services or Department of Child or Family Services. Just some of the punishments that are prohibited in Indiana include physical exercise or requiring to take an uncomfortable position. I suppose the military is all about push-ups and running with packs, but I was surprised to hear that Abercrombie & Fitch store managers in Milan were using similar techniques. The Italian labor union wasn’t very impressed either.
For our children, using exercise as a punishment can teach our children to see exercise as a negative thing to be avoided. Using physical activity as a consequence will not promote health. For our children, we want to make fitness and exercise fun and something they want to do.
(more…)
