/
family MATTERS
or
r RENT WORRIES THAT .E_ C' .ILD H S. 0 I ~TEREST IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
BY DR. ANDREA CORN
Dear Dr. Corn: My 6-year-old daughter has never been interested in participating in sports even though many of her friends are busy after school practicing with their teams. I haven't encouraged her to participate, as I did not grow up playing sports. Instead I am sharing my love of arts and crafts, baking and playing the piano. While these hobbies are important, I would feel badly if I contributed
to her not being physically fit or if she became overweight because she did not get enough ex rcise.
Your concern is on the minds of many parents today. Vith childhood obesity on th rise and with the popularity of sed n ar)' activi ies such as watching television, surfing the Internet and play ing video games, it's no wonder there's a national concern about children's phy i a1 fitness.
The American He t Association recently joined with the William
Jefferson Clinton Foundation and Nickelodeon to pr mote the Alliance for a
Healthi-
Generation. The three organizations have combined their resources to create a public awareness and media campaign, entitled "Let's Just Play," that encourages youngsters to take the pledge and engage in healthy and active lifestyles in order to combat childhood obesity.
Sports participation can be instrumental in teaching a variety of important life lessons, even beyond physical fitness. A number of these behav j ors are transferable and can even enhance a child's academic performances. For instance, giv ing one's best effort, working on overcoming
ad versity, and learning how to be a gracious loser an a considerate winner are components of healthy self-esteem on and off the playing field.
You are in the perfect position to consider what spor or activity would best suit your daughter's personality and lifestyle. You'll also need to take into consideration your afternoon and weekend schedule and your pocketbook.
Some children prefer playing organized team
sports such as soccer, softball or basketball. Others are happier participating in individual sports such as tennis, swimming or golf. Some stay acti\'e and learn the lessons of sports by taking dance or martial arts classes, No particular activi-
ty is better than any other. Organized sports rely
on teamwork and cooperation; there are SElt practices and schedule , and the group's camaraderie elps solidify eir confiqfJDce. Individual sports are better suited for c'hil-
er
SOUTH flORIDA PARENTING' www.sfparenting.com
