I definitely don't advocate an 8-year old running every day.

My kids...12, 7, and 6 all run regularly. Typically they run 3-4 days a week and they run a lot of 5K races...some would say too many, but they really enjoy the races. They run with a youth running club that I help coach.

How many miles a day are you running?

Just so you know running every day does not necessarily make you faster. I have heard people who have 2,000 day streaks going of a mile a day or more. I don't know how they do it when they get sick,

Anyway I agree you shouldn't try to run every day. If your son really wants to do this maybe go for 30 days and then take a day off by celebrating the 31st day.

Children should run every day. If you give 30 kids under 10 years old a wide open place and 3 or 4 kickballs, plenty of free-time and unplug ... basically everything... they will run.

As far as structured straight-line running on asphalt... I would encourage more general play, but would (and have) let them come along with me for a mile or two if they want to, and enter the local 5k's or kids races if they like, but not push it on them.

(we have 3. Not that it makes me an expert or anything.)

Actually Obsessor too words out of my mouth. I was going to say that I'm not quite 100% agsint kids running at all. Now, there are certain things might need to be adjusted. I've done several kids running programs in the past and found out that some kids actually just love to run! And with this prejudice of adults that kids should NOT run everyday, inhibit them from running everyday... Well, that's just as wrong.

Everyday would definitely put a lot of pressure--probably not now but later on when things get busy. But I'd much rather see parents encouraging kids to continue than discourage or go along with it. I sort of gave myself, a few years ago, that if not everyday, I'd give myself 4 days a month (one day a week) or off-days. So when things get busy, I'll take a day or two off but because I already give myself 4 off-days a month, don't feel as guilty. Yet, it sort of became a challenge to keep that to 4 days--I'd pace myself, push here and there; yet, take it easy here and there as well... How about give your kids, say, 10 off-days a month? Or every other days? I certainly am against putting pressure on kids at all; but at the same time, nothing wrong with a little bit of discipliine here and there either.

I strongly believe one of the best gift you can give to your kids is the habit of making running--or any other exercises--a daily routine. Don't make it sound like a chore or duty; make it a regular routine. They'll grow up accepting the same routine so much more easily then. I often think of what New Zealand's great Jack Foster said: "I don't train; I just go for a run."

My 3 1/2 year old likes running. He likes to high five the runners doing the 5k's at our local park (Wash Park in Denver). And now that he sees the runners on the path around the park, he likes to go over to the park and run some on the path. We are talking about 100 yards at a time, then we sit down and take a break. We have watched some youtube clips of Prefontaine and Alan Webb, so he is Alan Webb and I am Pre, and we take turns passing each other. Oh, and the silver part of his Nike's make him "wicked fast."

I love that he has taken an interest in it.

Hi Nancy,

I'm sort of going through the same thing with my kids. They have been watching my wife and I as they grow up run in races and they see kids their age running 5k's. Both my daughters are bent at getting out every day for a run. We go to a park that has some paved "trails" and some open fields. Everyday they put a sticker on their calenders to mark the days they have run. Yesterday they were running a bit tired. I told them that they should take today off and still put a sticker up on their calenders because it was a planned break.
It's funny how things work though. My oldest daughter who is nine had her first day of soccer today (I had forgotten about that) and probably ran three times as much as she usually does.
I'm very careful about them running. They see us run and then they come to us. When we run together I make sure we are all running at a conversational pace and not get out of breath. Like obsessor and Nobby said you have to keep it light and fun and they will keep coming back for more. Nice to hear about others running with their kids. We go almost every day and have never once seen any families out running.