I read an article yesterday that I personally found a little disturbing. Most people, at least in the U.S., will probably not see any problem or find any fault with the article or what it talks about. Rather, they will probably support the message of the article and find what I am saying to be a little disturbing. So what exactly is this article about? Its about young children becoming exceptional at running, so exceptional to the point that they are challenging those who are seasoned veterans. So what exactly is the problem with children excelling at running? Why do I have a problem with these young children becoming so dedicated to running? After all, its a form of exercise, and with the obesity epidemic we face in the United States, I should support it, right? Well, here is my issue. As the article mentions, many of the young runners it highlights started running very early. One girl started at 3, another at 5 while in kindergarten, and most of the other runners it mentions are under the age of 12. I see a problem with the children starting this at such a young age. When children are young, especially under the age of 5, they should be more dedicated to simply playing. Whether it is outside with friends, or inside, children should be exploring the world, figuring things out, building friendships with other children. To start running and adopting a training regimen, even if it is three days a week, is in a way forcing the children to grow up faster than they should. Don't get me wrong, exercise is a necessity for every child, but to engage in an organized sport, train for it and enter races at such a young age is pushing the limits in my mind. And while these children may say they are having fun, how much fun are they really having. Are they engaging in this sport because they really want to or because they feel a pressure from society that says they should join an organized sport as early as possible so they can stay in shape. (Full article can be found here.)
Exercise is a necessity for children, but to me, that exercise should be found in more basic ways such as playing on the jungle gym with friends, playing tag in a playground, swinging on swings or other simple activities. It seems that exercise has become synonymous with sports in this country. Whether it is track and field, cross country, soccer, football, baseball, or anything else, it seems the only way children know how to get exercise these days is through an organized sport. There is no simple play time anymore that affords children the opportunity to get exercise. Perhaps it is because it is easier for parents to drop their kids off at a sport where they are supervised and trained properly than it is for them to take the initiative of driving them to a playground and watching them engage with other children on a basic level. I also have a problem with the introduction of the high level of competition that now accompanies any children's sport. Any sport these days is serious, no more fun, just seeing who can be the better runner, the better thrower, the better batter, etc. And part of it is the feeling on the children's part that they must live up to the expectations of their parents. Their parents want them to do their best, but how does that relate to their lives at that point where they are still figuring out the world and processing everything that is presented to them. In my mind, it is placing at the forefront of the children's mind a necessity to be the best, not necessarily to have fun, but to be the best at what they are doing. They are told it is fun, so they associate the hours of training and practices to be fun. Is it really? Ask any child and they will probably give you the answer that you are looking for, not because they have come up with that answer on their own, but because they have been programmed to give that answer by their parents and society.
To me, it seems that not enough time is devoted to helping children figure out who they are when they are younger. In addition, not enough time is left to helping them figure out the world around them. Humans, by nature have millions more neural connections than adults do. The reason they have so many more connections in their brain is because they are more open to absorbing the world around them, more open to being taught about the world and its nuances. As they grow older, the neural connections that receive the most work survive, while the others that don't die off. This is the process of humans figuring out the world, processing it in their brains, and building a base off of which to operate for the rest of their lives. Is running a mainstay of society that will help them figure out the world? Some would say yes, I would say no. And that goes for any sport. I want to give you a quick example before I finish up. I was talking with a friend yesterday whose brother has three young children involved in gymnastics. They are all under the age of 10 and claim that they absolutely love it. They may, but their dad also makes sure that they do their exercises (i.e. pushups and situps) every day so that they can excel in the sport. Now, do they actually love the sport, or do they love the sport because it makes their dad happy when they succeed at it? I don't know, but I have my doubts as to the real reason behind their love for it. I know when I was younger and involved in sports, there was no pressure to practice or exercise from my parents, if I wanted to I would, but often times, I simply wanted to play outside when I wasn't engaged in sports. To this day, I couldn't care less about organized sports, but then again, I am an oddball. To sum this all up, what I would recommend would be simple play time for children, building relationships with friends on their own terms, exploring the world, and enjoying their simple life.
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