Raising Good Kids in Tough Times:

Thumb and Finger Exercise is not Enough

Dr. Roger McIntire

Editor's note: This is the third in a series about family routines and children's health.

In 1982, four percent of children were overweight and childhood depression was rare. By 1994 16 percent were overweight and five percent were depressed. In 2001, 25 percent were overweight and 10 percent were depressed. By the way, 25 percent is exactly the same proportion of surveyed children who report they don't participate in any vigorous activity at all.

Schools have cut back on their help with this problem. The National Institute of Child Health and Development reports the average third grader has 25 minutes of exercise a week while the institute recommends 30 to 60 minutes each day. Only one-third of public schools now have physical education classes more than once a week.

Jerry Seinfeld's most prized possession is a replica of his first bicycle - a vintage Schwin that he felt was his ticket to freedom on the streets of his New York neighborhood. How many children today would value their bike that much?

Childhood obesity, now considered epidemic, accounts for 50 percent of the new cases of sleep apnea and asthma, the Surgeon General reports. It also accounts for 50 percent of the new cases of pediatric diabetes. Diabetes used to be considered an adult disease, but now one in four children shows early signs of Type II diabetes and 60 percent show at least one risk factor of heart disease.

The inclination to hang out in front of the TV, computer, or Gameboy has put our kids at risk. The Mayo Clinic's Children's Health Center says that TV-watching, now up to 25 hours per week on average, is the biggest culprit in exercise-related health problems of children. Video games and computers are the next biggest culprits. The clinic's doctors estimate that 60 percent of the childhood obesity cases they see are directly related to too much television. They make the following recommendations.

1. Limit TV and other "high-tech" entertainments to make sure outdoor time and action get their share of each child's daily schedule.
2. Keep up your own exercise habits as a model for the kids.
3. Promote physical education in your schools.


Many school psychologists and counselors would add these suggestions:


4. When birthdays and holidays come around, give gifts that encourage exercise. A gift of a another video, CD or violent game for the button-pusher set is not in the best interest of your child, niece, nephew, or grandchild.
5. Encourage casual and informal sports at home as well as the ones offered in the time-limited school schedule.
6. Encourage trips that produce exercise - hiking, swimming, and setting up camp.

Do it not only to control weight and as a hedge against depression but also to build muscles, increase flexibility, and to just feel good.

Dr. McIntire is the author of Teenagers and Parents: 10 Steps to a Better Relationship and Raising Good Kids in Tough Times. For more information see Parentsuccess.com. For publications, visit the CCBS bookstore.

Dr. Roger McIntire taught child psychology and family counseling at the University of Maryland for 32 years, where he conducted research and did applied work with parents and teachers. He has published several books, for both professionals and parents, appears often on radio and television talk shows, and writes a weekly column, Raising Good Kids in Tough Times, for the Martinsburg (WV) Journal. He received the 2001 Award for Effective Presentation of Behavior Analysis in the Mass Media, from the Association for Behavior Analysis. He is a father and grandfather. You can find out more about his publications at parentsuccess.com.

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