I have three teenage boys. Yes I have the same problem as everyone else. Those kids love those games. Children today often spend many hours in front of screens on such things like mobile phones, computers, video games, and TV. These products have gotten better at getting and keeping their attention. Even for those who are playing sports, these sedentary hobbies are competing interests. Even if a kid does play sports the total daily activity means more than an hour at soccer practice.
One of the biggest reasons I sign my kids up for activities is so they can stay active and healthy. Regular exercise helps kids be physically fit and they learn to appreciate the importance of physical activities at an early age. This helps the kid to be active rather than live a sedentary lifestyle that could lead to serious health problems. I am sure that is the main reason most parents do sign their kids up for sports. They want their kids to live a healthy active life. But I often realize that it is much more than that. Free play has been shown to produce higher levels of physical activity than organized sports. So, like I said earlier the daily activity is more important. So then why do I still spend lots of money on signing my kids up for these activities?
So if I’m not paying for bowling, swimming or martial arts then what am I paying for? I pay for the moments when my child becomes so tired they want to quit but doesn’t. I pay for those days when they are too tired to go to practice but show up anyway. I pay for them to learn to work well with others and to be a good teammate. I pay so they can learn to deal with disappointment, when they don’t get the score or time they were hoping for. I pay for my children to make and accomplish goals. I pay for my children to learn that it takes hours and hours of hard work and practice to create something beautiful, and that success does not happen overnight. I pay for the opportunity that my children will have and to make life-long friendships. I pay for the opportunities that they may have in the future because they learned how to be an athlete. Finally, I just love watching them play.
Another advantage is that organized sport activity helps children develop and improve cognitive skills. Physical activity in general is associated with improved academic achievement, including grades and standardized test scores. Even further, the more daily activity a child gets the more positive influence it can have on attitudes and academic behavior, including enhanced concentration, and attention. High school athletes are also more likely than non-athletes to attend college and get degrees.
As parents we take the time to make sure our child stays active and healthy. However, it is a known fact that this is the time in our life that is important for us to stay healthy and active also. Unfortunately, this is the time during an adult’s life that we tend to neglect ourselves. So what are we teaching our children? After you have kids you no longer have to do these things. They learn best from example. So when they get older and have kids of their own they push their kids and neglect themselves just like we do. It is a viscous cycle that continues. We are not to old to do these things we just stopped doing them. Stop this cycle and show them by setting the example. Exercise and playing a sport as an adult has the same benefits for adults in the workplace as it does for kids in school. A survey of 400 female corporate executives found 94% played a sport and that 61% say that has contributed to their career success. Exercise will also make you more productive at work.
I know as a parent it is hard to make the time and/or spend the money on you. So when you sign your kids up for these activities consider taking an active part in it with them. Practice with them. Volunteer to help the team out. Do drills with your child at home. Daily physical activity is just as important for adults as it is for kids. Sign up for a sport or a 5K yourself. Wouldn’t feel great to have your child watch you train for your first 5K and have them cheer you on for a change. Imagine the impression it will make on them.
Our community has lots of activities for everyone at any age level. We have everything from tennis to swimming. We have access to local gyms and parks. If you cannot find something to your liking then start something. Signing up for a sport or fitness activity is a great way to stay healthy and active; however, remember those activities are much more than that for both adults and kids.
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