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Meanwhile, structured sports time
has doubled from 2 hours, 20 minutes per week to 5 hours, 17 minutes
per week and studying has increased
by 50%.
Has this remarkable increase in structured activities had a positive
effect on our children? No scientific evidence supports that conclusion.
Instead, studies repeatedly suggest that overscheduled children
often suffer from stress, depression and anxiety, and that this
stress can lead to substance abuse, early sexual behavior, and
increased risk of suicide.
What can we do to help our children grow into happy, healthy,
well-adjusted adults? We can focus attention on developing and
maintaining meaningful relationships with them. Research sugtgests
that the most important variable that predicts a good life is
having one positive relationship.
We can also try to eat more meals with our children. Many studies
have focused on the benefits of eating meals together as a family.
A Council of Economic Advisors to the President released a report
in 2000 that found a strong association between regular family
meals (five or more dinners per week with a parent) and academic
success, psychological adjustment, and lower rates of alcohol
use, drug use, early sexual behavior, and suicidal risk.
Tha National Merit Scholarship Corporation recently completed
a survey of National Merit Scholars from the past 20 years, hoping
to find out what these students have in common. One of the answers?
Nearly all of these students ate a meal together with their family
at least three times a week. |
