"Boys gravitate toward ball games that involve such basic motor skills as kicking, catching and throwing and that tend to involve set rules for play," report researchers from the Melpomene Institute for Women's Health Research in St. Paul. "In contrast, girls gravitate toward more social play, shadowing teachers, playing in small groups on the swings or sitting and talking."
Get Your Kids Moving
By adolescence, kids tend to become even less active, in part because of competing demands on teenagers' time--from homework and jobs to surfing the 'net and playing video games. Participation in physical activity continues to decline throughout high school and "plummets" in college, says Howell Wechsler, physical activity specialist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta."We're no longer a society where kids go running around the neighborhood," he says. "They've got computers and 98 TV channels and parents who are worried that they might be kidnapped." That's why, Howell says, "we've got to make physical activity appealing so kids will want to participate and make it a lifetime habit."
Tips for Parents
Experts offer this advice for parents who want to "jump start" inactive kids: • Expose your child to a variety of activities, and let him or her decide what to play.• Be a good role model. Be active yourself, do active things as a family and be a good sport.
• Applaud effort. Don't give false praise, but always try to find something to compliment. ("Good swing," "nice try," "way to hustle.")
• Listen. Especially after a disappointment, give your child a chance to express feelings in an atmosphere of unconditional love and support.
• Set limits on sedentary activity.
• Encourage kids to dress so they can move.
• Don't just ask, "Did you win?" Instead, ask questions geared to the sport experience such as: "What was the best part of the practice/game?" or "Can I help you improve any skill?" And, most important, "Did you have fun?"
RESOURCES
The American Sport Education Program
They offer a variety of material for parents and coaches including a 16-page SPORT PARENT SURVIVAL GUIDE.Call 1-800-747-5698 for more information.
The Melpomene Institute
They offer two brochures, "Fit Kids" (free) and "Girls, Self-Esteem and Sports" ($1). Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:Melpomene
1010 University Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55104.
(C) Carol Krucoff, 1999-2000 All rights reserved.
Carol Krucoff is an award-winning medical writer and health columnist, and the founding editor of the Health Section of THE WASHINGTON POST, where her nationally syndicated column, "Bodyworks," is featured.
