Is treadmill workout ok for 3 yr old?

Question

I have been making my 3 yr old daughter walk 20 minutes on our treadmill 5x/wk at 2.5mph. She hates it, but I told her she needs to stay thin and she will thank me when she gets older. She gets to watch one episode of powerpuff girls when she finishes. My question is, can I increase her mph until she has a brisk jog going or is 3 still too young for jogging?

Answer 1

As opposed to instilling in her a desire to make healthy choices what is happening is you are telling her that she needs to be thin to get your approval.

You would be hard pressed to find a doctor or therapist who would recommend a treadmill for a three year old.

Here is a novel Idea, you want her to be healthy?

Thin does not mean healthy.   Teach her to eat right, teach her to love being active, and teach her to love herself.

EDIT:  I have two 6 year old boys.  They love to play hockey, and soccer.   They enjoy snacking on fruit, and heck they don't even give me a hard time with vegetables.   After all they are growing up in a house where there are only healthy choices to be made and they know their parents will love them even if they do put on a pound or too (which I hope they will as they are still slightly underweight).  I guess that what happens when you have two healthy boys who just run, play and be kids non stop.

Answer 2

Treadmills can rip off children's finger.  Just because you clearly have disordered eating/exercise doesn't mean you should pass it on to your daughter.  I seriously hope you are joking.  

Answer 3

this is a TERRIBLE idea.  1: you are going to make her hate walking/running for the rest of her life because it will be perceived as punishment.  and 2: you are setting her up for eating disorders because she will be so paranoid about her weight/figure because you instilled it in her so young and will probably continue to.  Rather than making her walk on a tredmill why dont you take her to the park and let her run around, or ride a bike/tricycle outside, or go swimming, or do some other active activity that she enjoys rather than torturing her on the tredmill.  I totally understand your concern for her being overweight, especially with the rising obesity levels in this country, but there are other, much better ways of going about raising a healthy child.  I would feel differently about this if she actually wanted to and enjoyed walking on the tredmill, but she doesnt, so I wouldnt make her do it.  Just ensure that you feed her a healthy diet and she gets a lot of active play time, dont force her on the tredmil.  You have very good intentions, just go about it in a different way.

Answer 4

ah no. why dont you take your child for a walk around the  neighbourhood instead. that way your setting a good example, making exercise enjoyable, AND spending time with her.

Answer 5

The treadmill?

I kind of think she's too young for that.

Why don't you go outside and y'know...play with her?

Jog with her.

EDIT: I totally agree about the body image problems thing.

My twin sister grew up with our mother who constantly pulls her down because she's not stick thin.

She breaks down all the time because of all people, she doesn't expect her mother to act like that.

Are you going to love her any less because she's not thin?

EDIT2: There's a difference between a good mother and just plain cruel.

Kids get most of their exercise when they're OUTSIDE, PLAYING.

Like KIDS.

My niece is 3. She's actually underweight from the fact she LOVES to play.

Answer 6

3 is too young to be doing this type of workout period.  Active play in the yard or at the park (chasing rabbits, playing with a ball, etc.) are age appropriate exercises for a 3 year old.  If you drill into her head now that she may be fat, you could damage her psychologically.  Let her be a kid!

Answer 7

A 3 year old has no business being on a treadmill!! If she hates it thats your first sign that you are wrong!

I doubt the people that answered this question let their kids have cake or cookies for dinner! Yeah my son really will hate me for not making him when he is three run on a treadmill!!

Answer 8

not on the treadmill she is still too young.

Leslie Sansone , walk away the pounds has tapes for chldren that r appropriaate.

you should also be talking to the pediatricin.  

Answer 9

Treadmills are very dangerous for small children and many people get cut burned whatever from it. I think that you shouldn't make her go on a treadmill because that is unsafe. I don't think she should be on a treadmill until she is at least 7. Right now the best thing to do is let her play outside on a bike/tricycle or just run around in your backyard because this way the child gets exercise and it is fun for them too. If you have any neighborhood kids you should get her to play with them outside. Also you need to make sure she has healthy food and she doesn't have a habit of eating junk food.

Answer 10

You are just cruel to her, no it isn't ok to be making a 3 year old work out like that. ....you are setting her up for a lifetime of low self confidence and body image problems.  

Answer 11

Call CPS. They'll tell you what to do.

Answer 12

ARE YOU INSANE????? A 3 YEAR OLD SHOULD NEVER GO ON A TREADMILL A 6 YEAR OLD SHOULDN'T!!!! YOU ARE THE WORST MOTHER IN THE WORLD!!! SHE SHOULD PLAY AND EAT SOME HEALTHY FOOD BUT SHE IS JUST 3!!! YOU SHOULDN'T DO A TREADMILL WORK OUT TILL HIGH SCHOOL OR BEYOND!!!! GET HELP!!!

Answer 13

I think a tredmill is a little much for a 3 year old =/ they get plenty of excercise by playing and running around with little kids. Working out should come after puberty. Kids her age stay thin by eating right and playing like normal kids.  

Answer 14

No,you are not a good mother.  You border on being cruel.  A 3 year old cannot keep up with a treadmill.  There balance is not as good as yours to start with and even adults sometimes end up slipping.

Answer 15

3 is too young to determine if someone will be thin.  Your better of teaching her good eating habits anyway.

As for the treadmill, a friend's kid got the equivalent of a rug burn from the belt on the treadmill.  He had to go to the ER is was so deep.  He was 4.

Answer 16

Exercis is great what if you did it together and watched power puff girls while you did it. Being thin isn't the goal being fit is.  Make it fun. I wouldn't have her run on a treamill though (too dangerous could fall) but what about doing relay races in the backyard. Make it fun. She is only 3.

Answer 17

you 3 yr old gets enough exercise by playing and running around outside that is horrible to make your child run on a treadmill , when she has problems with self confidence and the way her body looks don't wonder why

Answer 18

Why dont you take her to the park

she just learned how to walk 2 years ago

do you want your daughter to have an eating disoreder when shes like 8?

Answer 19

I think that is too much work for a 3 year old. She is too young to be messing with working out that way...

Answer 20

No you shouldn't increase it ,shes not physical prepared for that ,if you want her to get  exercise put her in a dance class and she will get plenty of exercise and not hate it or sign her up for ice skating and she will start to like it now so she will keep on doing as she gets older and it will keep her in shape!

Answer 21

Don't get me wrong, kids need plenty of exercise but a treadmill is a bit much. She should be walking and running outside.