 |
| Family
Life and Physical Activity
|
 |
Family has always played a very significant role in the
development of a child. The relationships between the members
of the family, the rules in the family, the discussion of
particular situations, parents’ active participation
in the life of their children contribute a lot to the upbringing
of a child as an independent personality. The atmosphere in
the family directly influences children and forms their own
conception of their future family. Undoubtedly, besides forming
child’s psychology, family plays an important role in
the maintenance of a child’s health. Therefore, physical
activity should be an essential part of every family life.
Physical activity from the early childhood helps to form healthy
habits and thus to lay the foundation of a full-fledged development.
Today under fast tempo of life, the majority of parents are
worried about their careers, their ability to earn enough
money to provide their families. Paying much attention to
the well-being of their children, parents often fail to take
into account their children’s leisure-time. With the
great development of computer games, children spend more and
more time in front of computers and TV-sets, which favors
the development of a number of diseases. “Inactive children,
when compared with active children, weigh more, have higher
blood pressure and have lower levels of heart-protective "good"
cholesterol” (Red Branch).
It is obvious that for parents it is necessary to plan their
children’s time so that they could spend more time in
the open air, playing with their peers or with the members
of the family. Active games do not only favor physic development
of a child but also help to form team spirit, an ability to
cooperate and to help others and at the same time to be able
to lose and to win with dignity. While playing, children can
easier find common language with their friends and with their
relatives.
Moreover, games play an indispensable role in the strengthening
of relations in the family. On the one hand, there may be
problems with children’s unwillingness to play outside
instead of chatting in the Internet. Then the parents’
main aim is to arouse their interest and to show the excitedness
of the game. Children should realize that if they do not take
part in the game they miss a lot of interesting. On the other
hand, children who like physical activity may lose this interest
because of parents’ inactivity and indifference to their
life. If they observe their parents leading passive life,
they might perceive it as an example for imitation. Therefore,
the role of parents in planning children’s leisure-time
is of great importance.
The researches show that for the last decades the number of
overweight children has doubled. Moreover, in the majority
of cases obese children become obese adults, which leads to
the increase of percentage of overweight people in the society
(Biller, 2002). Therefore, active childhood guarantees healthy
life. Assuredly, different families choose different ways
of involving their children into activity. Families might
have their favorite sports, such as windsurfing, fishing,
playing basketball or soccer, or they can invent new types
of activity every time. Thus, they allow their children to
choose the game or if it is a new game every time, children
are more interested because they have to learn new rules.
In order to learn parents’ opinion about the role of
activity in family life and about their interaction with children,
I have observed a group of children aged 9-10 years who were
playing Frisbee at a playground. Not far from the playground,
there were their parents, who chatted much and only sometimes
looked at their children. I have noticed that children were
very enthusiastic about the game, they threw the Frisbee and
counted the points. For them it was a sort of competition.
All of them wanted to catch the disc and when some of them
did not manage to do it, he or she was very upset. In the
group, there were three boys and four girls. The parents who
were sitting not far away, from time to time cast a glance
at the playground to make sure that their children were safe
and sound. However, none of them attempted to take part in
the game or to encourage her child. I would like to highlight
that there were only mothers with their children, and no fathers.
Watching the children, I could not say that they were absolutely
involved into the game and did not pay any attention to their
mothers. Instead, occasionally they tried to draw their attention
and either threw Frisbee not far from them or just called
to the parents to watch how they were throwing the disk. Several
times a girl asked her mother to count her points. Mothers
at first willingly answered their children; however, they
did not play with them and continued talking. Despite the
fact that all of them were dressed casually and any time could
take the lead and organize some kind of a game together with
all parents and children, they found it more interesting to
cry out some words of cheer.
Judging by the manner of communication of parents among themselves
and the children, I could definitely say that all of them
were friends. Children knew each other well and mothers seemed
to spend much time together. Being an onlooker I could make
a conclusion that parents were more interested in discussing
their favorite topics and were glad that their children were
engaged into some kind of activity. Children did not seem
to be much upset that their parents did not take part in the
game, though for the majority of them it would be interesting
to play with their parents too or at least to be watched and
encouraged by their mothers.
After the children finished the game, I asked the parents
several questions about the importance of active life and
the role of activities in the family life. All the parents
agreed that activities should be an essential part of every
child’s mode of life and that is why they took their
children to the playground every day. Three mothers of seven
said that they asked their children what they wanted to play
and helped them to choose the game for the next day. Jessica,
35, said, “I think my son should spend at least two
hours outdoors every day. He’s a boy and he is very
active. My aim is to arrange his leisure time so that it was
useful for him, so that the games he plays developed him and
his team spirit.” All the mothers confirmed that they
knew how important it was to plan their family leisure time
and to involve all members of the family into activities.
Monica, 32, stated, “When Sarah was born, my husband
and I had already been going in for diving for several years.
Therefore, we tried to cultivate love for diving in Sarah
since her early childhood. Now we do it all together and Sarah
really likes it.” However, when the parents were asked
why they did not take part in the game together with their
children, nearly all of them expressed an idea that they should
not interfere with the games of their children and prevent
them from communication. Eliza, 28, said, “When a group
of children is playing I don’t think there is a place
for parents. We would hamper in their free communication and
break their own atmosphere.” However, opinions differed
and Helen, 30, said, “My daughter does not want me to
play with her and her friends. I do not know why, but it isn’t
interesting for her.”
Thus, by the example of this group of children and parents,
I could notice that parents realized the importance of physical
activity for children and its benefit for their future life.
For example, Rebecca, 35, said, “My brother is obese,
because unlike me, he always spent his free time in front
of TV, he has always been a fat child and I do not want my
child to be alike.” All of them agreed that active games
outdoors help to maintain health and to control the children’s
weigh. They contributed much to the physical development of
their children and encouraged them in taking up sports. Caroline,
36, noted, “I never forced my son to take up karate
but I was driving at this idea. I showed him different pictures
and told how great it is to be strong and brave. I think it
was useful”. Besides, all parents had their own opinion
about children’s games and family games. They considered
it wrong to interfere with children’s games and they
preferred to fix a border between activities with the participation
of all members of the family and of children only.
To make a conclusion, judging by the observations, I can say
that though at first sight, the parents’ opinion could
seem right, it was obvious that children wanted their moms
to take active part in their games. I might assume that family
games were not enough for boys and girls who wanted to spend
more time with their parents. While the parents realized the
importance of physical activity for their children, it seemed
to me that for them it was more like a duty, which they had
to do. From my perspective, it is a wrong approach to the
issue. Only when parents are eager to spend as much time with
their children as possible and are interested in their children’s
occupations, the up-bringing will be of benefit to the children.
Bibliography
American College of Sports Medicine. (n.d.). Exercise is medicine.
Retrieved July 7, 2008, from http://www.exerciseismedicine.org/taskforce/index.htm
Biller, H. B. (2002). Creative Fitness: Applying Health Psychology
and Exercise Science to Everyday Life. Auburn House Paperback.
Red Branch. (2007). Physical Activity. Retrieved July 7, 2008
from http://www.red-branch.com/physical_activity.htm
|
|
