What will they think of next: Docs advise more free play for kids

[buttmunch]

(CBS/AP) Here's some soothing medicine for stressed-out parents and overscheduled kids: The American Academy of Pediatrics says what children really need for healthy development is more good, old-fashioned playtime.

Many parents load their kids' schedules with get-smart videos, enrichment activities and lots of classes in a drive to help them excel. The efforts often begin as early as infancy.

Spontaneous, free play — whether it's chasing butterflies, playing with "true toys" like blocks and dolls, or just romping on the floor with mom and dad — often is sacrificed in the shuffle, a new academy report says.

Jennifer Gervasio has a 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter involved in preschool three mornings weekly, plus T-ball and ballet for each one day a week. That's a light schedule compared to her kids' friends, and Gervasio said her son in particular has trouble finding buddies who are free to come over and just play.

"There's just such a huge variety of things you can do for your kids if you have the resources, you almost feel why not," said Gervasio, of Wilmette, Ill. "There is a part of me that would worry if I don't sign my son up for some of these things, will he not be on par with the other kids."

For now, she says, she resists the pressure, instead allowing her kids plenty of time for looking for bugs, romping at the beach and other play activities they love to do.

"I truly believe that they're better off when they can just do their own thing," Gervasio said.

Numerous studies have shown that unstructured play has many benefits. It can help children become creative, discover their own passions, develop problem-solving skills, relate to others and adjust to school settings, the academy report says.

"Perhaps above all, play is a simple joy that is a cherished part of childhood," says the report, prepared by two academy committees for release Monday at the group's annual meeting in Atlanta.

A lack of spontaneous playtime can create stress for children and parents alike. If it occurs because young children are plopped in front of get-smart videos or older children lose school recess time, it can increase risks for obesity. It may even contribute to depression for many children, the report says.

Social pressures and marketing pitches about creating "super children" contribute to a lack of playtime for many families. But so does living in low-income, violence-prone neighborhoods where safe places to play are scarce, the report says.

It says enrichment tools and organized activities can be beneficial but should not be viewed as a requirement for creating successful children. Above all, they must be balanced with plenty of free play time, the report says.

"In the current environment where so many parents feel pressure to be super parents, I believe this message is an important one," said Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, the report's lead author and a pediatrician at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Noted pediatrician and author Dr. T. Berry Brazelton praised the academy's report.

"I hope it will have some effect," Brazelton said.

Children overscheduled with structured activities "are missing the chance they have to dream, to fantasize, to make their own world work the way they want it. That to me is a very important part of childhood," Brazelton said.

CBS' Charles Osgood summarized the report this way on his The Osgood File on Monday.


"Sometimes what kids may need is, yes,
"Not more parenting, but less."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...n2073853.shtml

I hate the overscheduling, no recess, push, push, push thing going on with kids. Guess what, suburban freaks? You can't 'create' a super child. 99.9% of the kids that exist right now will grow up to be just as boring as you and me and everyone else, no matter how many lessons and videos and school hours you shove down their throats. And you know what else? They're more likely to turn into freaks if you don't lay the fuck off them.

Ahem, I'm done now.

[AliceInWonderland]

i wish my parents had signed me up for stuff like sports and music lessons instead i went to the babysitters and got exposed to double doses of all day second hand smoke, dirty broken toys, molestation, and other neglected kids!

[buttmunch]

Hmmm...I guess that's the other end of the spectrum. I'm only talking from my own personal experience and what I see. And what I see is kids completely stressed out who have no imagination or ability to entertain themselves or think in ways that aren't 'taught' to them. We're raising a generation of pod people. And at the end of the day, Alice, you've turned out to be a sassy individual, which might have something to do with having time to look around, see the world and freedom to think you're own thoughts and come up with your own ideas.
My son was in a school situation that did not encourage any free expression or free thought, play, etc. He was miserable and I swear depressed at the age of 6/7. And this was the 'best' school in the city. We yanked him out this year and put him in a school that believes in teaching well but also in giving kids time to develop on thier own. He is a completely different kid, meaning he's the kid I knew when he was 5. I am grateful every day that I had the balls to make that decision when all my mom friends at that school were horrified at my choice. Like I said, my other kid will be switching next year and I can not wait.

[twitchy]

They are going to have to cut back on homework to make this feasible. I've got a 12 year old who is frequently up well past nine doing homework and then gets up at 6 in the morning to finish it. There have been several times so far this year when I'll drive him to school just so he can have the extra hour to finish something instead of riding the bus. The workload is insane. It doesn't help them learn anything. We cherish the evenings when no homework has been assigned. He used to play on weekends with the kid next door, but they are super-schedulers and their weekends are a whirl of driving their kids from one activity to the next and they are never home anymore. At least my guy can work on his fort. It almost seems to be a badge of honour with some people to see how many activities they can cram into their kid's lives. I'm a slacker mom by comparison!

[MgMMD]

Sign me up for Slacker Mom-dom.
No way am I scheduling my kids to the point where they can't run around and play chase, or rollerskate, or play dress up with the dog. If they are interested in things, fine. But damn, you have the rest of your life to be overscheduled...let them eat dirt and have mud pie tea parties while they still can.
I guess I was lucky because I was exposed to a crazy Child Development professor who really believed that constructive free-play ( building forts, playing chase...not sitting in front to the TV) made children better problem solvers and better ( drumroll please....) ADULTS.

[buttmunch]

Continue to be slacker moms! Your kids will be healthier and happier and much more well adjusted and interesting. The homework thing is ridiculous, by the way. In the first grade, my older one was getting up to 40 minutes of homework after a 7½ hour day. That went up to an hour in the second grade. He is now in a different school with a slightly shorter day and a much more reasonable homework policy. And surprise, surprise, he's so much happier, learning better and faster and has jumped several levels in his work just since the start of school. And the best thing? He's actually reading for pleasure because he has the free time to do it. Hurrah! Fuck this insane super child movement. I will never go along with it.

[A*O]

I think you will find that many schools give the kids the homework schedule their parents demand. This applies particularly in the private schools where parents think that because they are paying money they have a say in how their children are educated, the curriculum, school policies, homework etc etc. They think that more homework = better education. This applies particularly with parents who, by choice, work long hours and make lots of sacrifices in order to give their kids a 'head start' in a private school but they think this gives them the right to interfere and intimidate whenever they feel they are not getting 'value for money'.

[buttmunch]

Oh how right you are, A*O. My kid's former school (private) actually told me, when I raised concerns about the amount of homework, that parents thought there wasn't enough and were demanding more. They actually gave him homework over the summer. It was unbelievable and hence, we got out. And the funny thing is, some homework is good but too much is soul destroying and pointless and actually puts kids off learning.

[A*O]

Generally speaking I think a reasonable amount of homework is a good thing because it does make the kids learn to take responsibility for completing assignments on time and facing the consequences if they don't. We had battles galore with our kids when they first started to do homework to a deadline around grade 4-5. Every single night we had to lock down the puter, TV, PS2 etc until after they did their homework - which was usually only around 30 mins max anyway. They gradually learned that it's no good fighting it, just suck it up, do it and then get on with the fun stuff. They now come home and just do it with very few arguments because they know if they don't there will be consequences. Important lesson learned.

[buttmunch]

YOu sound like me, although my kid has, in grade 3, deadlines for his homework. But he gets it weekly, meaning a folder is sent home on Tusday with 10-12 worksheets and a book of his choice at his level and he has to finish it by the following Tuesday. It works much better because some days he's just too damn tired to face a pile of homework, but then again, he knows it has to be done so generally whips off a few pages the first night and continues that way through the week. During the weekend he doesn't do much since most of it's usually done and Monday is studying for Tuesday's spelling test. I think it's a fair amount that he is able to handle well and yes, it's teaching him to organize his time and to get things done. This routine, by the way, is a blessing compared to the last two years which were filled with tears and frustration from both him and myself. And now he has time to just play with his friends or mess around in his room....time he needs and values like you would not believe after the last two years of hell school.

[LynnieD]

All my freaking kid does is play. She does go to Preschool 3x a week, but all they do THERE is play! Its getting harder and harder to keep her entertained honestly w/just 'playing'. I need to come up w/something to keep her mind going, but at the same time allowing her to just run wild.....

[A*O]

Oh stop whining Lynnie - Just subscribe to Disney, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network and shove her in front of the TV with a bag of cheetos.

[LynnieD]

^You think I DON'T have those channels?? PLEASE!! The winters are awfully long here. Cheetos, no fucking way.

She's only 2 and has that short attention span thing going, so that is the challenge.....

[A*O]

Oh joy - a hyper 2yr old and another baby on the way - been there, done that and all I can say is HAAAAAAHAHAHA!!!!! Have you looked into early learning centres at your local military school?

[LynnieD]

She actually is a quiet, calm kid (how that happened I do not know), but just won't do ANYTHING for long--even play on the great new swing set that Daddy spent hours putting together. She won't even watch TV for more than 15 minutes or so. I long for the day that I can put in a Disney full length movie and she will watch it. Same thing w/crayons, water colors, books, etc. Its maddening, but to be expected.
Should be super interesting w/a newborn in the mix. Cannot wait....sigh.