Our kids need exercise.
Children are turning into couch potatoes.
We need to deal with the problem of child obesity.
It all sounds so easy but how do we get our kids up and moving? I bet they’ve been watching the Olympics. They have joined all of us who become sudden and instant experts on the minutiae of judging. They watch the young men and women who have become experts in their sport.
These athletes can be their inspiration and you can use the Games as a springboard to get your kids up and moving. You might think that watching elite athletes might discourage your kids, but think about it. Every time we have an elite athlete the kids flock to the sport in increasing numbers. How many kids who can barely stand on skates dream of skating like Patrick Chan or how many little girls on the ski hill see themselves as Lindsey Vonn. Vonn, back this season after knee and arm fractures, said she will race the super-G, super combined and downhill in the first week.
Participation in sports is beneficial to our kids. The trick is to find the right sport for your child. Look for programs that offer multiple levels so that they can play with other kids with similar ability. Look for opportunities for kids ranging from absolute rookies to kids with advanced skills.
And there are so many choices. From archery to yachting (couldn’t find a sport that began with Z), there is going to be an activity for your child.
Watch the Olympics with your kids. Listen to them. What do they like? Which sports attract their undivided attention? If the sport that interests them is not a reasonable possibility, what other similar activities come to mind? Pick up the community program guides and take a look with your child and see where her interests lie.
There are some definite advantages to team sports. Kids can develop a positive self-image, which comes from being part of a group, of fitting in. They have a place and a self-definition. They can describe themselves as a volleyball player or figure skater. They will develop new skills and be able to use them, which is a great self-esteem booster.
When I speak to groups of parents I certainly hear concerns about children who are overweight and physically unfit. But, all too often, I hear about children who are just not willing to try something new, are unable to recover from mistakes or who give up too easily.
Developing skills in a group under the guidance of a coach helps them learn how to keep trying and grow and develop new skills. Each time they work to learn something and finally succeed makes the next time easier and it will translate into other areas of their lives.
Our children need to learn how to work as team members. They will be team members in the workplace, in meetings, on volunteer boards or in their community. Sitting at home in front of the television set or computer screen just doesn’t do it.
Participating as a team member in a sport they learn how to take turns, how to follow the rules, how to mentor and be mentored. They also learn how to assess their own strengths and abilities and how to partner with others who have complimentary assets, which is a highly transferable skill for later life.
Besides helping your children choose an activity that is right for them, you should become involved. The trick is how. We have all heard horror stories about hockey-parent rage in which parents ended up in court after assaulting a coach or a parent from an opposing team. This involvement is not helpful (Duh!).
When we play a role with our kids we give them the message that we support and respect their choice. We can attend games, we can volunteer to coach or look after the uniforms. How you become involved is completely up to you.
Children involved in sports are kids having fun. They love it when we are in the stands to cheer them on, no matter how it’s going. Win or lose, we are simply there.
Remember, the Olympics may motivate your kids to get involved. But your child is not working to make the Olympic team; he’s working to become a better citizen, a healthier person and to have fun.
Kathy Lynn is a professional speaker and author of Vive la Différence, Who’s In Charge Anyway? and But Nobody Told Me I’d Ever Have to Leave Home. If you want to read more, sign up for her informational newsletter at parentingtoday.ca.
