Movement is
more than sports
“There are so many more activities
that a child can be involved in
compared to when their parents
were kids,” says Jason E. Boye,
Ph.D., pediatric psychologist at
Nemours Children’s Hospital
in Delaware.

Gadow reminds parents that
sports encompass more than
baseball, football and soccer.

“There are activities (like rock
wall climbing) that people don’t
put into their traditional model of
‘sports’ but that give movement
and socialization. Some adults
found joy or success in a particular
sport in their youth and try to
duplicate the experience for their
child, but self-discovery is more
important. The kid that opts out
of lacrosse for baseball or opts
out of soccer for hiking is finding
their own path.”
Your kid could spend hours
hitting balls at the batting cage
but never want to join a baseball
team. Your son or daughter could
enjoy swimming laps but not
want to compete. So what? “Some
children prefer solo activities,” says
Boye. “Our role is to work with
kids to identify their particular
interests and think about how
we can incorporate movement
and activity.”
24 Washington FAMILY APRIL 2022
Kanakos says that team
sports often require a high level
of commitment. “The level of
competition in many sports has
increased such that only the best
athletes and the ones training
year-round are the ones to
experience success.”
It can be an overwhelming
prospect. “Physical fitness doesn’t
have to seem daunting,” Theis
advises. “Any movement in a child’s
day is better than no movement:
playing basketball in the driveway,
walking the dog, playing hopscotch,
stretching in front of the television.”
Talk about what your children
like to do rather than picking an
activity for them.

Moderation and
cessation Even when you find the right
activity, don’t be alarmed if
your kids need a break from
participating on a sports team.

“Kids will come to it on their own
when they are craving activity,”
says Gadow.

Idleness isn’t all bad, in
moderation. “Everyone should
spend time doing things they
enjoy, including video games, as
it helps improve mood,” grants
Boye. “It’s important to balance
inactivity with activity. The AAP
(American Academy of Pediatrics)
recommends no more than two
hours of screen time per day.

LSOPHOTO/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Youth & Teen Art Camps
“Seventy-seven percent of kids
quit sports before age 13. The
two biggest reasons they report:
parents and coaches. It gets too
serious, too fast,” says Chief
Vision Officer Andrew Simpson
of Player’s Fitness & Performance
in Frederick, Maryland. He’s
the author of “The Youth Truth:
Coaching & Parenting in Today’s
Crazy Youth Sports World” (PFP
Publishing, 2020).

When the activity is enjoyable,
it is more likely to have staying
power. “Often, when we find the
right environment for a kid, we
want to keep hitting that button
and taking it to the next level,”
cautions Gadow. “When a kid
starts seeing success in a sport,
and the level of competitiveness
ramps up, the ‘fun’ level
might go down.”



per day. Parents can use this as a guide and work
with children to identify activities that involve
more movement.”
In more recent years, opportunities to participate
in activity with other youth have been comparatively
limited. “Now it might take a little more push and
pull to drive kids to activities because we’ve become
more isolated,” affirms Gadow, particularly in light
of the COVID-19 pandemic. “You should help guide
them. Taste a variety of activities, and if a kid says,
‘I don’t like this,’ don’t be afraid to say, ‘OK, we’re
done,’ and move on to something else. It shouldn’t
feel like punishment.”
SERRNOVIK/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Meet on common ground
Consider tying activity to their interests. “I’ve had
teenagers who love to spend time on the phone
with friends, so we incorporate spending some of
this phone time walking or using the treadmill,”
says Boye. “For younger kids, it’s important to have
parents and caregivers involved in the activity to
engage children. We think of shooting baskets or
throwing a ball around, but we can also think of more
game-type activities (races, playing tag) that can be
done together.”
Some parents benefit from outside help with
encouraging kids to be active. “Youth fitness businesses
are becoming more common. Seek ones that prioritize
inside-out, holistic development of physical fitness,
mindset, character, leadership and
athleticism,” suggests Simpson.

“Find a mentor—only one in
four kids has one—someone
young enough to relate to,
but old and experienced
enough to impart wisdom
that is influential and that
they will act upon. When given
the tools, resources and
positive encouragement from
what they’ve been craving,
I’ve witnessed kids go
from incredibly fearful to
extraordinarily confident.”
When in doubt,
sweat it out
“Some people tell their kids,
‘I don’t care what activity
you are doing, but you
need to get outside for
30 minutes, and when
you get back you need to
be sweaty,’” says Gadow.

“Running around and just
being kids is beneficial.”
Every kid can have fun on
that team. P
The Jewish Federation’s Sara & Samuel J. Lessans
G od Deeds Week
April 3-10, 2022
Food insecurity is a critical issue across Greater Washington. Join The Jewish Federation
as we proudly bring together 60+ community partners and thousands of participants
across DC, MD, and Northern VA to help support individuals and families in need.

Together, we will fill the shelves of local food pantries, feed those
who are hungry, and make a difference all week long.

Find a volunteer project at shalomdc.org/GoodDeedsWeek
Federation's Good Deeds Week is made possible by Drs. Ellen &
Stuart Lessans, in loving memory of Sara & Samuel J. Lessans.

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