A recent study suggests that “hyper parenting may increase the risk of inactivity in children.” Apparently, parenting styles like the so-called “tiger moms who push for exceptional achievement” and “little-emperor parents who shower children with material goods” are “associated with lower physical activity in 7- to 12-year-olds.” I find this study puzzling. In my own experience, it usually takes a push from Dad to get my kids outside and engaged in physical activities.
What’s more, I find the study’s categorization of parenting styles troublesome. We should all be hyper parenting, but that doesn’t mean we should be pushing too hard, protecting too much, or spoiling them with material goods. Instead, we should practice “intentional hyper parenting.” By which I mean, we should be constantly thoughtful about all the decisions we make. We should understand that we are always teaching our kids habitual ways of being in the world. Both by example and by prescription, we are demonstrating to the next generation of adults our own best practices for being good people, for living fulfilled lives, for interacting with the world around us. It seems important, therefore, that we make sure we’ve thought through our actions, that we’re intentional about our decisions. Parenting, after all, is the most direct way we make an impact on humanity and the world’s future.
It takes active parenting to create intellectually, physically, and emotionally active kids. I have learned that if I did nothing, my kids would be glued to their devices—laptops, iPods, tablets—all day long. I imagine most parents these days have discovered the same thing. Digital media is super stimulating; it moves fast, and it is designed to be easy and seductive. This is why it is common to hear people complain about video game addiction; they worry that the evil temptations of screen time will draw their children into an underworld of lonely, geeky, solitude. This is, frankly, absurd. Most children would also eat ice cream and candy all day long if their parents let them. Still, we don’t blame bad nutrition on the temptations of junk food. Instead, we expect parents to get involved. They should structure their kids’ diets. We create healthy, fulfilled, and happy kids, we don’t just leave them alone and we don’t surrender responsibility to the environment.
by MindMake via MindMake Blog
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