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Starting out young
RAJIV M.RAJIV M.
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It is essential for parents to encourage their children to take up sports
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SEVERAL FACTORS affect the exercise habits of kids and teenagers and all but a few are modifiable. For example, self-efficacy, which means the perception of one's ability to perform a certain action successfully or to control one's circumstances — a construct derived from modern psychology, has a positive association with exercise among children and teens. Simply put, children and teenagers who perceive they are good at a sport are more likely to keep playing that sport. Since a large part of a child's self-belief comes from parental encouragement and praise, it is never a bad idea to encourage and praise your child when he or she is taking up a sport. This benefit extends even to teenagers — a species supposedly immune to parental influence.
Children and teenagers are more likely than adults to take up exercise seriously when they hear or read about the benefits of exercise. On the other hand, they are also more likely to give up exercise when they hear disapproval from authority figures. Some parents discourage their daughters from playing, and this disapproval can lay the foundation for a sedentary lifestyle and a lifetime of obesity-related illnesses. All this emphasises the importance of positively reinforcing a child's efforts at exercise. Physically active parents as role models are important determinants of physical activity among preschoolers, older children and teenagers. When regular exercise is a way of life at home, children are more likely to develop the exercise habit early and stick with it for life.
Parents can also help by organising games, providing transport and ensuring access to safe playgrounds and equipment. The latter is especially important for encouraging exercise in girls. Simply ensuring that the child spends enough time outdoors increases the likelihood of the child being active.
Friends play a big role in every child and teen's life, and a child going around with physically active kids is more likely to have an active lifestyle. Parents cannot always choose their children's friends for them, but they can improve their odds by taking them to playgrounds and swimming pools — places where they are more likely to meet physically active children.
Finally, it is important for parents to help their child find a sport that he or she enjoys, and also to recognise whether a child is playing a game simply because the parent approves of it. Children who love what they are playing can take care of themselves in the exercise department till adulthood.
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