Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Youth Sports: Friend or Foe

By Jennifer Dumas

Families struggling to raise healthly children in this fast food generation, are turning to organized youth sports to promote life-long healthy habits. Youth sports have many positive influences on the life of a child.

Children who exercise are more likely to continue the practice into adulthood. Regular exercise helps children maintain a healthy weight resulting in a positive self image, especially in girls.

Youth sports help children develop friendships with peers that have similar goals and interests. Additionally, these friendships are easily monitored by involved parents and coaches. There is no easier way to know who your child is with and what they are doing!

Kids quickly learn that they have to work together for a common goal and that each person is an important part in achieving that goal. The concept of teamwork is a critical developmental skill that will impact them both socially and academicaly. Many will develop the leadership and initiative to help their team succeed.

Children quickly learn that teamwork is essential to their success. They identify strengths in their peers and find ways to untilize those strengths to acheive their common goal. They learn that it is to their benefit to stop and help a teammate develop a skill and become mentors their peers.

This is a win win situation for both parents and children! Children develop important life skills that will have lasting effects both physically, mentally, cognatively and socially. Parents have the piece of mind of always knowing where their children are and who they are with!

Organized sports are a great way for Children to develop important life skills that will have lasting effects both physically,intellectually and socially. Parents, if you want to know where your children are and who their are with, youth sports can make this dream a reality! - 16004

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