Let kids decide their after-school activities

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Monday, February 15, 2010

Let kids decide their after-school activities

Culture

Parents may hope that with the right training their children can become a world-class athlete or entertainer, but Montreal child psychologist Dr. Amir Georges Sabongui believes all they might actually be doing is causing burnout and depression.

As the National Post reported, Sabongui recommends that parents take the pressure off their children to be the best they can in an extracurricular activity they may not enjoy, and instead let them decide what activity they want to pursue.

“Yes, it’s good to be well-rounded, but it’s not their duty to excel in areas that they may not have aptitudes for,” said Sabongui, who specializes in burnout.

Over half of the children Sabongui treats suffer from burnout and anxiety caused when they feel pressured by parents to perform. In some cases, this can even lead to depression.

Sabongui also warned that if parents push their kids too hard, “they just give up. If they are afraid of underperforming in the least bit, they won't participate at all.”

Anita Kuntz, a children’s music teacher in Saskatoon, also cautions that when children get involved in too many activities, they are unable to devote the time and discipline required to become good at any of them.

“I feel very strongly that it appears we are creating a society where kids are exposed to so much that they will be masters of none,” Kuntz said.

Vancouver child sports injury specialist Dr. Shelina Babul likewise warns parents that when children feel pressured to excel at a sport they have no interest in, they will end up hating the sport. But if they enjoy the activity and want to learn to get better at it, they will more readily get involved.

Christian Influence in Society

What does the Bible say about becoming involved with politics? Is there a reason why Christians should vote or care about an election?

HEARD AROUND

“Sarah Coyne, professor of family life at Brigham Young University, co-authored a recent study on media aggression and found that out of 120 hours of programming, an average of 52 acts of hostility (physical and verbal) are broadcast per hour on reality TV. Non-reality programming contained only 33 such incidents per hour. Coyne concludes, ‘[Programming is] producing this culture of being mean to each other,’ Coyne said. ‘We're setting up our culture to being overreactive.’ (The study was published in June's Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media.)”

[Pluggedin.com 7/6/10; USAtoday.com 6/29/10]

Listing of Pregnancy Care Centres

Pregnancy centres provide loving counselling, practical assistance and a variety of resources to pregnant women. For more information about these services available across Canada, please click here.

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Todaysfamilynews.ca is a service of Focus on the Family (Canada) Association.
It is intended as a general, practical reference and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, mental health or legal advice.

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