Study: Kids Who Engage In Physical Activities Less Likely To Get Into Trouble
Robert Paul Reyes
April 03, 2006
An adult ensconced in his sofa watching TV is a natural tableau, our creaking bones and our stressed-out spirits are always in need of rest.
A kid planted in front of the boob tube for hours on end is an ominous sign. If a youth is not burning energy, he will eventually explode.
A new study by a research team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has confirmed the reality of that old saying: "Idle hands are the devil's playthings."
The researchers have determined that teens who participate in physical activities, are at a reduced risk for engaging in dangerous and illegal behavior, compared to adolescents who spend a lot of time in front of the TV.
Parents may think that their children are safer watching TV or playing video games, rather than being out in the streets skateboarding or playing a pick-up game of basketball.
But kids who spend a lot of time indoors watching TV are at a higher risk of drinking, experimenting with drugs and engaging in sex. Think about it, TV is saturated with beer commercials and soap operas where a friendly smile soon turns into a romp in the bed. Monkey see, monkey do...
I grew up next to a playground with a baseball diamond and basketball courts, my brother and I would spend the whole day their shooting hoops and fooling around. It's there that we learned not only how to have fun, but also how to interact with our peers. We never got into drinking or doing drugs, we were too busy having fun.
We should encourage our children to engage in a wide variety of physical activities: Team sports, jogging, riding a bike, skating, anything that will get them outdoors.
If you prompt your kids to have fun outside, you will have more peace and quiet, so you can enjoy sleeping on the sofa watching TV.
A kid planted in front of the boob tube for hours on end is an ominous sign. If a youth is not burning energy, he will eventually explode.
A new study by a research team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has confirmed the reality of that old saying: "Idle hands are the devil's playthings."
The researchers have determined that teens who participate in physical activities, are at a reduced risk for engaging in dangerous and illegal behavior, compared to adolescents who spend a lot of time in front of the TV.
Parents may think that their children are safer watching TV or playing video games, rather than being out in the streets skateboarding or playing a pick-up game of basketball.
But kids who spend a lot of time indoors watching TV are at a higher risk of drinking, experimenting with drugs and engaging in sex. Think about it, TV is saturated with beer commercials and soap operas where a friendly smile soon turns into a romp in the bed. Monkey see, monkey do...
I grew up next to a playground with a baseball diamond and basketball courts, my brother and I would spend the whole day their shooting hoops and fooling around. It's there that we learned not only how to have fun, but also how to interact with our peers. We never got into drinking or doing drugs, we were too busy having fun.
We should encourage our children to engage in a wide variety of physical activities: Team sports, jogging, riding a bike, skating, anything that will get them outdoors.
If you prompt your kids to have fun outside, you will have more peace and quiet, so you can enjoy sleeping on the sofa watching TV.
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