It’s become reflexive to collectively shake our heads and mutter “kids these days.” That trope used to refer to the somewhat innocuous change in culture from one generation to the next, but today it carries a much graver significance. Kids these days are suffering from exponential rises in everything from diabetes to depression, and it all stems from a culture that has abandoned physicality in favor of comfort and convenience.
Matt and Megin Sharp wanted something better for their first daughter. But when they went looking for a place to help develop her physical ability, they weren’t satisfied with their options. Undaunted, they decided to create it for themselves. The result is KidStrong, their groundbreaking facility in Lexington, Kentucky, where they’re working tirelessly to create a generation of capable, confident, and healthy kids. Their staff of physical and occupational therapists, teachers, physical educators, and exercise physiologists has created an innovative curriculum designed to intentionally develop kids in the exact areas society has chosen to ignore.
The Sharps sat down with me to discuss this incredible program, where they hope to nurture kids who want to move forever, not just while they’re in school. We discuss the tragedy of throwing kids with no physical literacy straight into sports, the surge in kids needing occupational and even speech therapy simply because they don’t move enough, and the cultural impact of helping kids and parents work out together as a family. Matt and Megin think that movement is the best teacher of character and positive self-talk, and after you hear about what they’re doing, I think you’ll agree.
