by Don Kardong and Jim Ferstle. Original illustrations by Jane Prince
This booklet (was) written specifically to encourage to start running. There is a section directed toward the adult interested in having his child run, written by Jim Ferstle, and a section specifically and especially for the child, authored by Don Kardong. This booklet was made possible by a grant from NIKE and The Athletics Congress. (Road Runners Club of America 1989)
PART I . . . FOR PARENTS:
Introduction "Today it's relatively easy to live fairly comfortably while hardly moving off the couch," said David Jacobs, a researcher at the University of Minnesota. "I think the challenge for our culture has two parts: how to convince people to become physically active, and how to train our children to enjoy physical activity." "One of the most important things in changing behavior or maintaining . . . behavior is a good role model," said Guy Reiff, a PE professor at the University of Michigan. "(If a child see thats) everybody seems to think it is not important, he's not going to (think that exercise is important) either." James Ross, project director of the National Children and Youth Fitness Study II conducted by Macro Systems Inc. of Silver Springs, Maryland, says that parents need to show by example that exercise is valuable. Parents should attempt to "establish a pattern that will continue to guide the child on a lifelong basis," he said." In short, what these experts are saying is that parents should lead by example. Children don't know how to get fit or stay fit, so, like most things in life, they look to their parents, their role models, for signals on how to act. While not every parent exercises, all parents can influence their children to adopt good exercise habits by providing good role models. If you aren't involved in regular fitness programs, you can find other adults who are. YM or YWCA's have programs, there are running clubs in every state. Encourage your children to get involved with a physically active group. Better yet, do some physical activity yourself with your children. Hike, walk, run with them if you can. You'll feel better about it and so will they.
WHO IS THIS BOOKLET FOR?
What the Road Runners Club of America hopes to do with this booklet is provide information for the parents and children who want to know more about exercise. How safe is it? What equipment do I need? Those issues and more will be covered here, plus we hope that this booklet will stimulate questions, open a dialogue between those interested in running and the RRCA. If you need more information, need some other questions answered, call or write the RRCA at (703) 836-0558, 629 S. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
ROLE MODELS
One of the more humorous memories I have of my now four-year-old son is his mimicing of other runners when he was only a year and a half. My wife and I had taken him to an indoor running facility. He watched while we ran. When he saw another running leaning against the wall, stretching, he walked between teh runner and the wall, put his hands on the hall, and copied the runner's stretch. Once he'd gained the power of speech, he would periodically tell his parents as he sprinted across the living room, "I'm a really fast runner!" The copying didn't stop there, as he also observed his father rubbing the heel of a foot with an ice cube. A few days later, the little mimic tugged on his mother's pant leg as she stood near the referigerator. "Give me an ice cube," he demanded. "I need to ice my foot, just like daddy." Later this urge to copy is transferred from the parents to the child's peers, but the effect is the same. A child's environment has a significant effect on his or her behavior, and we, as parents, are significant influences in the child's life. We can provide a good example for the child through our behavior. As often as we may tell the child how beneficial something is, it is much more effective if those words are supported with action.
IS IT SAFE?
Running is one of the safest forms of exercise. While many runners suffer overuse injuries, these injuries are primarily the result of improper training, rather than an indication of the relative safety of the sport. Like any physical activity, however, there are some conditions that might expose a child to greater risk than others. The first is any genetic defect or congenital disease that might threaten the health of the child. The second is the possible danger of injury to the growth plates -- the cartilaginous soft tissue -- of the bones, which can occur if too much stress is placed on these growth centers too soon. Finally, children maybe more susceptible to heat injury than adults. These conditions are often known prior to the time the child gets to the stage where he or she is ready to engage in running as more than a means of getting from one spot to another quickly. Your child's physician will usually be able to tell you if your child has any physical limitations. The child will also tell you if some activity is not fun or is too strenuous. Listen to your children: they known how much is too much.
MIRKIN'S ADVICE
Both children and adults can be lured into one of the great dangers in athletics, overdoing it. In adults it's called overtraining. For a child, it's doing more than the body will allow. If the child complains of aches and pains or is not enjoying the activity, don't force him or her to continue. Let them stop, or do another activity. Dr. Gabe Mirkin, a member of the RRCA Sports Medicine Committee, gives the following advice: "Bones grow from certain growth centers near the ends of each bone. These growth centers are softer than the rest of the bone. Some experts feel that too much exercise can damage these growth centers. However, there are no studies that show that children who train for competition are more likely to injure these growth than those who do not train." A more serious concern about early training is that overemphasis on winning can cause children to hate exercise. Children like to play. Replacing play with hard training can cause many children to stop exercising forever. Regarding the possibility of heat injury, Mirkin said: "Children have a higher body mass to skin surface ratio and may not be able to dissipate heat as well as adults . . . Children as well as adults, should try to protect themselves from suffering heat-induced injuries by drinking fluids often when they exercise in the heat." Better still, if the weather is too hot, go swimming or find some other climate-controlled area for your exercise.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
In terms of dollars, about as much as a good pair of running shoes. The advantage of running, as a sport, is that you don't need to pay dues, join a club, or buy expensive equipment. Kids can run in cut-off jeans and a t-shirt. Add long pants, gloves, a stocking hat, sweat shirt, and a nylon windbreaker and your child is ready for winter. The time commitment is no more or less than for any other activity your child might undertake. Most children want parental support and interest in their activities, therefore, whether it's running, school, clubs, music, or other sports, your child will want to know that you care about what he or she is doing. If you run, it's fun to accompany the child on runs. If you don't, you can attend their competitions, meet with their coaches, show an interest in what they're dong.
RUNNING ALONE OR IN GROUPS?
One advantage of running is that it can be done by an individual or in groups. For children, it' soften more fun for the child to be part of a team or club. The social aspect of doing something fun with their peers is often more important to them than the activity. Many school teams have now discovered that numbers can influence success. These teams, though competitive, have runners of varying abilities. The emphasis is on providing each child with a rewarding, fun experience. Lifelong friendships are formed in these groups, and the habit of developing a lifetime fitness activity is also gained. But some kids prefer to run alone. This solitary approach usually requires more parental support and understanding. The child is not weird or anti-social just because he or she chooses to be alone. Often this can be a good stress release or give the child a sense of comfort, power, and discipline to be able to accomplish something by him or herself. Don't put the team on the child, let the child choose.
HOW OFTEN?
For children, the minimum is that they stay active. It doesn't matter if they walk, bike, or play team sports, but while they're young, they should do something often. Every day if possible. Once they get into high school and college, they have the option of being a member of a competitive team and/or a running club. The frequency and structure of the workouts/daily exercise then becomes a social decision that is either made by the leader of the group or by the team members. The old adage, "use it or lose it" applies to frequency of exercise. The key is to use your body daily if you expect it to function properly. If you can pass on that habit to your children, they'll be healthier because of it.
COMPETITION VS. SOCIAL ACTIVITY
Most school teams are geared toward competition, providing talented athletes with an outlet to display their skills. Many kids may not fit into this niche. For them, sports is social, not competitive. Many coaches recognize this and give their time to all the athletes on the team. In these programs all the athletes are viewed as equally valuable to the team. Some school programs, however, only exist for the elite. Be sure your child fits into the program. Don't force a modestly skilled athlete to be the forgotten member of an elite team. There are many running clubs that recognize the needs of athletes of all ages and abilities. If your child wants a social and athletic experience, you might try a club. If there are none in your area, you could start your own. The RRCA will provide you with information on starting your own running club, if that's the route you want to take.
HOW IMPORTANT ARE TEACHER/COACHES?
Your children's teachers and coaches spend a lot of time with the children, and may have a significant impact on developing their habits. Therefore, it is important to have competent people filling these roles. The most frequent criticism of the American system of physical education is that the teachers and coaches in that system are poorly trained. Coaches are often labeled as only caring about won/lost records. They are perceived as having little knowledge of anatomy and physiology, as being nothing more than motivators -- psuedo shrinks in search of championships. Whether this is a fair assessment or not, you do need to know something about the people who will be coaching your son or daughter. What is his or her coaching philosophy? How many kids are in the program? Does the coach emphasize participation or winning? Are only talented athletes given attention in the program, or are all children, regardless of ability, encouraged to participate? What type of certification program does your school district require for coaches? What other sports has the coach taught? If it is a club coach, what training has he or she had? Who are some of the other kids in the program? What do they or their parents have to say about the coach, the experience? If you don't like the coach or the program, what other options do you have? You should be able to get good answers to these questions. You should also have an idea what your child wants out of the program. Is he or she gifted with a strong desire to excel? Does the child only want to be part of a social group? The child's motivations make a big difference in how you evaluate the adequacy of the program.
PARENT'S ROLE
Just watching an infant beam with pride once he or she does something for the first time -- whether it be the first word or first step -- should be enough to convince any parent that this is what athletics are all about. That discovery of physical talent doesn't have to stop as the child grows. It can continue if it is nurtured and is as eagerly anticipated as the baby's first steps. Just as the baby relies on the parents for guidance in taking those first steps, your child will look to you for help and support in athletics. If you are an athlete, you can be a role model and partner in your child's athletic development. If you're not athletic, you can steer your child toward someone who is. Find a running group or friends who run and see if they have children who run. If you can't be an athletic role model, you should be able to find others who can.
AVOID PRESSURE
Your child's participation in sports should be voluntary. Don't push the child into running if the child has no desire to run. The key is activity. If your child wants to play soccer, fine. Gymnastics, great. The key is to let them be active and learn to have fun.