How to get kids active
Hi Brent,
I’m a pediatric occupational therapist and sensory specialist with expertise in the impact of TV and videogames on child behavior and performance at school and home. I would like to comment on how to get kids pried off technology and into something more physically and mentally healthy.
A premise of occupational therapy is that human beings tend to engage in activity they find interesting, meaningful and that gives them a sense of purpose. That said, the job of today’s parent is to create access to playful activities that provide these parameters for children.
We live in an age where the national average TV and videogame usage for elementary aged children is 6.5 hours per day, with 65% of children having TV’s in their bedrooms. Meaningful conversation between parents and children has dropped to a mere 3.5 minutes per week. Critical factors for child development are not being met, and child physical and mental disorders are on the rise. This unfortunate situation creates problems when we tell children to just “go out and play”. Today’s child doesn’t have the cognitive imagination or physical skill set necessary for the ‘rough and tumble’ outdoor play of the past. Kids riding bikes, climbing trees and playing street hockey are a rare sight.
Children of today demonstrate The Triple Disconnect from self, others and nature. Self identity is often formed around what children ‘do’ – today’s child identity often is to imitate TV and videogame characters. Relationships with others requires practice and experience with social skills, sorely lacking in today’s techno obsessed and isolated society. Today’s children have Nature Deficit Disorder, as parents perceptions that the world is unsafe and they keep their children indoors.
To address The Triple Disconnect, parents need to remember back to the days when they used to do imaginary rough and tumble play, and then teach these skills to their children. Without the self, others and nature skill building, kids cannot (and will not) engage in active play.
I’ve got lots more where this came from! For referenced research see www.zonein.ca Fact Sheet in Media Kit.
Sincerely,
Cris Rowan, BScOT, BScBi, SIPT, AOTA Approved Provider
CEO Zone’in Programs Inc.
6840 Seaview Rd.
Sechelt, BC V0N3A4
crowan@zonein.ca