La importancia del Deporte para educar a los hijos

hildren have to be active every day. Physical activity stimulates
growth and leads to improved physical and emotional health. Today,
research shows that the importance of physical activity in children is
stronger than ever. For example, medical researchers have observed that highly
active children are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer
of the colon, obesity, and coronary heart disease later in life.
Exercise is also known to relieve stress. Some children experience as much
stress, depression, and anxiety as adults do. And because exercise improves
health, a fit child is more likely to be well-rested and mentally sharp. Even
moderate physical activity has been shown to improve a child’s skill at
arithmetic, reading, and memorization.
But sport, not just exercise, gives a child more than just physical well-being;
it contributes to a child’s development both psychologically and socially. Sport
psychologist Dr. Glyn Roberts of the University of Illinois has worked primarily
in children’s sport for the last two decades. He emphasizes that sport is an
important learning environment for children.
“Sport can affect a child’s development of self-esteem and self-worth,” explains
Roberts. “It is also within sport that peer status and peer acceptance is
established and developed.”
One way children gain acceptance by their peers is to be good at activities
valued by other children, says Roberts. Research shows that children would
rather play sports than do anything else. A study conducted in the United States
showed that high school boys and girls would rather be better at sports than in
academic subjects. The same study showed that high school boys would rather
fail in class than be incompetent on the playing field.
Because sport is important to children, being good at sports is a strong social
asset. Young boys in particular use sports and games to measure themselves
against their friends. Children who are competent at sports are more easily
accepted by children of their own age, and are more likely to be team captains
and group leaders. Such children usually have better social skills.
The primary goal of parents and coaches is to help children find the success in
sport they need to make them feel valued and wanted. Every child can be
successful at one sport or another. Take the time to find the sports that are right
for each child.