| <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in | | | | only does physical activity benefit the body but it also |
| } A:link { so-language: zxx } --> | | | | produces endorphins that help a child's mood and |
| In recent years, North America has seen a decline in | | | | stress levels. With the pressure of school and social |
| exercise. This includes children as well as adults. It | | | | groups, these are important in a child's social |
| seems that the good old days of street hockey, | | | | development and confidence within themselves. |
| soccer and even school yard tag has taken a back | | | | One of the problems with the decrease in Child activity |
| seat to video games, texting and YouTube. Today's | | | | and exercise is that their parents too, are busy and |
| youth, more and more are racing home from school | | | | preoccupied with their work and technology. Many |
| and staying indoors to get their electronic "fix". | | | | households have both parents working and their lives |
| I am by no means an old man but growing up in the | | | | too are "Stop and Go". This lifestyle often leaves less |
| 80's, it was common to come home from school, drop | | | | time for the family and more focus on work, resulting in |
| off my knapsack, pick up my hockey stick and head | | | | less parental motivation to the kids to maintain an |
| outside to play a game of pickup. This was not | | | | active lifestyle. When I was young I often spent at |
| something just reserved for me or for a hockey kid. | | | | least a few evenings a week playing catch with my |
| Soccer in the park, baseball at that the local diamond | | | | father or having a good old snowball fight. This was a |
| were also a common and daily part of life for the | | | | nice physical activity for both father and son that was |
| average kid such as myself. | | | | the norm in those days. |
| Now, if you look outside on any given day, you are | | | | With the decline in physical activity in children in recent |
| more likely to see tumbleweeds blow by than kids | | | | years, it's not a reason to give up hope on the youth |
| enjoying the fresh air. Now, this does not mean that | | | | of today. Many people are starting to see that with |
| every child in North America has locked themselves | | | | education and resources for children, getting them |
| indoors but it is a good number of them. | | | | back on track and in a regular active lifestyle is not |
| Daily exercise for children is important for them to start | | | | that far out of reach. With more venues such as |
| good and healthy habits. Including an exercise program | | | | indoor playgrounds, sports facilities and even activities |
| in a child's daily routines encourages a lifestyle that will | | | | that can be done at home, the youth of today can still |
| help them gain confidence, strength and social | | | | be the healthy adults of tomorrow. |
| interaction that playing video games cannot do. Not | | | | |