Why You Should Teach Your Child to Run, Part 2

There are six excellent reasons why you should teach your children to run. We will discuss each of these in our blog.

Reason Two— Development of the Respiratory System

Running helps to develop the respiratory system, which delivers oxygen to the brain. The principle food of the brain is oxygen. The average adult brain represents about six percent of a person’s total body weight. Yet the brain can take as much as thirty-five percent of the oxygen that we inhale in each breath! Tiny children’s brains can take as much as fifty percent of the oxygen in each breath!

Is essential running remains easy and fun for the activity to be aerobic. Aerobic means living with oxygen. When children’s hearts beat reach 165 per minute, they have reached maximum aerobic function. This means the vital organs of the body are being infused with oxygen.As children learn to run long distances nonstop, they can ideally reach 20 minutes with a heart rate of 165. Twenty minutes of maximum aerobic function is excellent for health and respiratory function.

We do not want children to exceed 165 as this could put them in an anaerobic condition. Anaerobic means living without oxygen. If continued this can break down the body and immune system.

If you wish to embark on an aerobic program you can purchase a simple heart rate monitor for $50 or less. They are easy and light to wear. Many runners wear them to maintain an aerobic zone.

By developing their respiratory systems, our children grow bigger chests and more efficient breathing, capable of delivering more oxygen to the brain. This aids all brain functions.

Reason Three— Language

Tiny children want desperately to communicate through speech, but adults often cannot understand what they are saying.  Breathing is the single most important element of human language. When the child’s respiratory system is not developed, the brain cannot command enough air and coordinate that air through the mouth to create clear language.

Children who run speak clearly at one, two, and three years of age. Their language is far more sophisticated than average children their age. Because they communicate well, they can express their needs and ideas without frustration.

Reason Four— Health

Our children have far fewer upper respiratory infections than average tiny children. Pediatricians become concerned only if children have more than nine upper respiratory infections a year! Sometimes our children go an entire year with no respiratory infections.  Overall, their ability to combat illnesses and recover more rapidly is far above average.

Because young runners are athletes, we are careful to feed them healthy foods and provide them with vitamin supplements.