By Michaela Gordoni
Would you rather your kid be “barefoot and free” or glued to a screen? For Jessie James Decker, there’s only one right answer for her family.
The singer and fashion designer says her kids are healthy because they have an active lifestyle.
Last month, she shared a vacation photo of her family that went viral because her oldest three children have abs.
“For us, a lot of my friends’ kids look like that. They’re all just active. A lot of them are children of NFL players, too, and we’ve got a unique situation in Nashville where a lot of them ended up at the same school. But my kids are just busy. They’re active,” she told Fox News.
Related: ‘Not A Fan’: Drew Barrymore Keeps Kids’ iPads ‘Locked In A Safe’
The mom of four’s husband, Eric Decker, was an NFL star.
“You know, Vivi’s a gymnast — she’s in the gym five days a week,” she said of her oldest. “You know how gymnasts look — they’re just fit and they’re strong. And little Eric is constantly doing sports.”
They are constantly active.
“They don’t sit around on iPads. They’re out there in the wildlife, barefoot and being free,” she said.
“We’ve done family workouts together, but we stay active together,” she said. “Maybe when we’re on vacation, we’re doing bike rides together, or whether it’s like a football game outside or throwing the ball on the beach.”
The family loves pickleball in particular. They have their own court in their home.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia says, “School-aged children need about three hours of outdoor play each day. While this is a lot to add to a daily schedule, the activity will contribute to the physical and emotional health of your child.”
Outside activities improve children’s mental health and helps them grow socially and appreciate nature.
“Scheduling time to actively play outdoors sets a natural limit on the amount of time your child can spend with a device (such as TV, smartphone or video game),” said pediatrician Dr. Katie Lockwood. “It promotes active engagement with their peers and the natural environment, and helps them develop respect for the world and consideration for others around them.”
Gen Z and older generations have been vocal about Gen Alpha’s screen obsession.
In 2023, Gen Z influencer Gabe Escobar said, “I need everyone else in my generation to promise that we are not going to raise ‘iPad children.’ …You’ve been shoving media and screens in these kids’ faces since birth.”
He guessed that Gen Alpha kids likely “can’t read” and “have no imagination.”
Upworthy writer and mom of three Annie Reneau said she limited screens for her kids. Her youngest is 15, and each of her children thanked her and her husband for not letting them get addicted to screens or have a phone too early. They even said they’d do the same for their own kids.
There are a lot of replacements for screens. Books, clubs, crafts and projects or giving your children creative or physical goals could get them thinking about other activities.
Read Next: Why Do We Allow Our Children to Be ‘iPad Kids’?
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