By FitPros Wellbeing Managers
For most, the transition from childhood to adolescence can be challenging and sometimes simply awkward. This has been the case for children across generations, but today, we have statistics and data that identify and label what developmental stages look and feel like for youth; as well as risk factors that can determine trajectories.
As FitPros, now successful CEO and Founder Lindsay Johnson reflects on her youth she recalls, “as a kid, life’s awkwardness often got the best of me” and “the negative chatter in my mind was non-stop, sometimes I was kind to myself, but more often than not I would have negative thoughts about myself like, ‘I should not eat this or I should not be doing that’ or more commonly (having a business owner mindset) ‘I should be doing this.’” Lindsay recalls relentless teasing during her adolescent years and her ineptitude of knowing how to care for herself (mentally, physically and emotionally). These skill deficiencies perpetuated into her young adulthood, and a lack of accessibility to wellness solutions led her down a slippery slope of unhealthy coping skills to what she identifies as “rock bottom.” Luckily, embarking on a new journey with the proper support system in place, and rebuilding her resilient attitude to change this trajectory around, Lindsay set out to learn what she was not taught in her former years. Whilst on this self-care journey, Lindsay was able to rebuild herself and reflect on how she would change the system. It was because of her somewhat tumultuous relationship with wellness throughout her youth, that subsequently affected her adult life, that FitPros was born!
Much like many of today's youth, Lindsay often struggled with mental health and self-love, however, being immersed in the wellness world has given her not only knowledge and access to resources she never had before, but also the opportunity to share Wellness with the world.
Lindsay humbling journey catapulted her into corporate wellness where she is now an expert on bringing holistic wellbeing solutions to directly to employers and employees across the United States. But this journey has only begun as FitPros expands internationally and into new demographics. As Lindsay reflects on her roots, she is refuelled and fired up as she launches her mission to reach the next generation... FitPros Kids.
Child development is a process every child goes through. The process involves learning and mastering developmental milestones across five main areas: cognitive, social/emotional, language, and fine/gross motor development. When children are faced with adverse childhood experiences (ACES) their brain development can be impacted, which in turn impacts the functions of decision-making, self-regulation, fear-processing, memory and stress management. ACES affect 34.8 million children across socio-economic lines putting them at higher risk for health, behavior, and learning challenges; and more specifically affect how the body responds to stress. There is a direct linkage between ACES and chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance misuse experienced in adulthood.
Many of you are also aware of the other realities facing today’s youth.
· 74% of children between the age of 5 and 10 do not get enough exercise on a daily basis, based on the 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
· Depression is the most common mental health disorder, affecting nearly 1 in 8 adolescents and young adults each year.
· Suicide is the second leading cause of death of 15-24-year olds
The good news (yes, there is always good news!) is ACES are counteracted by resiliency. Resilience is defined as an individual’s ability to overcome adversity and continue their normal development AND this is exactly where Lindsay’s brilliance with FitPros Kids comes in! As humans we are not born with the skills needed to mitigate stress and problem solve, therefore we need to be taught and provided resources – and childhood and adolescence are the perfect windows of opportunity. FitPros Kids creates a safe and supportive environment where children can learn to identify emotion, work through challenges, freely express themselves, develop confidence, and grow! We recognize that schools, after school programs, and families only have so many capacities; and it is our goal to complement their efforts and connect children with a gamut of wellbeing solutions and resources.
Our mission is to provide wellness education and holistic services that empower youth to reach their highest potential. We are bound by a set of Core Values and shared commitment to Wellness, Equity, and Inclusiveness, our programs meet youth where they are at, and help them cultivate new skills and competencies. We believe that when you provide youth with the accessibility to appropriate services and programs, a community of resources and meaningful engagement with caring adults - the opportunities to develop resilience and navigate adversity are endless.
FitPros Kids programs segment children into developmentally appropriate groups and encourage parents and caregivers to engage in most activities! Our Youth Programs include fitness classes (such as Yogi Kids, Dance and Bootcamp), health talks (such as Finance Fundamentals, Magic Breath, Nutrition Fun For Kiddos, Sticks & Stones and Learning from Failure), as well other activities that tap into creative development and self-motivation such as (Self Defense, Cooking and Painting Classes). Our coaches are available to conduct Half Day (3 Hours) and Full Day Program (6 Hours) and can be specialized to meet diverse demographic needs!
If you are looking for ways to get the whole family involved – whether it’s Bring Your Kids to Work Day or an offsite Family Fun Day – let FitPros Kids Coaches take the reins on bringing highly engaging, competency driven, and fun programs directly to you.
Want to learn more about FitPros Kids?
Contact FitPros
email: hello@fitpros.com or call: (815) 348-7767