By Helene L Zemel

I am probably giving away my age, but I can remember a time when we all ate our dinner at the same time; we did not have 300 plus cable television programs to choose from each day; and children did not spend countless hours playing video games, talking on cell phones, or sitting in front of computer screens. When I came home from school, weather permitting, I was expected to go outside and play. My friends and I would go to the playground, play ball, jump rope, and play running games.

Children today are frequently stressed out by many hours of homework, a longer school day, over-scheduling of extracurricular activities and the pressure to take college level courses for advanced placement before they are intellectually ready for it. I have heard of children getting by on only a few hours of sleep each night because of the long school day and an excessive amount of homework. One teen that I knew even skipped lunch to meet the demands of a high school curriculum which would award her college credits upon graduation. Frequently both parents are at work outside the home, and there is no parent present to see that the child engages in wholesome outdoor activities during these afternoon hours.

Children today are more likely to be found surfing the internet, playing video games, talking on the cell phone for hours, or watching television or the VCR (all sedentary activities) than engaging in sports and recreational activity. It is no wonder that we have seen an increase in such lifestyle disorders as high blood pressure, obesity, and type 2 diabetes-disorders that are preventable and even treatable by attention to diet and exercise. This increase has been seen in both children and adults. A recent survey showed an increase in prescription medications taken by young people for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol).

In a message from former Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop, M.D., written for the Shape Up America program, Dr. Koop stated: “A survey conducted by Shape Up America has revealed that child care responsibilities are interfering with the efforts of many families to get more exercise and at the same time we know many children are now overweight or obese. The solution is a commitment on the part of the entire family to spend more time together. I encourage you to choose activities you can do together and support and reward each other’s efforts to be more active at home, at school, at work, and in your communities. I urge you to replace the use of food as a reward for good behavior and offer to take a walk with your child instead. The pleasure of your company is the best reward your child can receive and the best gift you can give.”

This is good advice indeed. Start a family fun night and take turns choosing an activity. The family can engage in both indoor and outdoor recreational activities depending on the time of year. Remember that not all activities have to be physical. Board games are always fun for the family to play and encourage thinking skills, strategy, eye/hand coordination, and most importantly family togetherness. Choose a variety of games that are appropriate for all ages and skill levels involved in order to keep the chosen activities interesting and fun for all involved. Remember that the “family that plays together stays together.”

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helene_L_Zemel