image by: Tundra ice
The Center for Disease Control lists inactivity as one of the leading causes of preventable death in the US. That’s a scary statistic. It’s likely to get worse. Just in the last few years that I’ve been teaching I’m seeing an increasing amount of kids that are choosing to sit during recess. They’re just hanging out, not interested in getting out there and running around, increasing their heart rate, working up a sweat.
I see adults that are doing the same things, when is the last time you ran around, just to run? You know, for the fun of it?
Kids with disabilities are wired the same way. There may be a piece not quite working correctly, but that doesn’t stop the basic biology of the child, and that is one that requires activity, movement, and learning. It’s important to get kids out there moving around.
How can we do this? One way is by setting the example, that means you have to get out there too. When I’m playing on the playground with my kids with visual impairments, I play too. I chase them, they chase me, I climb the structure in novel ways that are “outside” what its supposed to be used for. I push the limits.
I’m doing this because its fun, but also because it demonstrates for them what can happen, and what can be done. I get lots of good feedback, in the form of giggling, and smiles, and ooohs and ahhs, the kids get REALLY impressed. So, its good for my ego too.
Every kid is different from the others, not just the ones with disabilities, so its important to look at your kiddo, and then visualize the edge of his or her current ability. I have a student who is very unstable when she walks. She often goes to all 4’s even if its just going up the stairs. She’s not quite ready for work on a balance beam yet, but she can do some running! Turns out, she kind of likes it, it gives her a lot of feedback to her body, and is probably teaching her system how to handle all these inputs. She seems to really like walking in uneven terrain, so now we’re trying to run in that uneven terrain. Now, this currently does not resemble the running that you and I may identify with, but its at the edge of her ability, which is where most of my teaching is focused.
Why? Because I’ve learned that staying on the edge of a person’s ability forces them to create more ability. It is like lifting weights. Would you expect to get stronger by never picking up a heavier weight? The idea is ridiculous. Learning is no different.
Pushing the edge is what a lot of play is about. Exertion, taking yourself to that feeling of exhilaration, bathing in that excitement and sense of risk, its critical to future development, and mature decision making as an adult. The ability to judge risk, weigh the consequences and take action are all critical to functional adulthood. It all starts with play.
Parenting should be active, baby Einstein dvds do not replace in any way what you have to offer as the sun in your child’s universe. Set the example, keep those expectations high, and your kids will rise to the occasion.
This sets them up for a lifetime of activity, which as more research is showing, can stave off a number of additional health concerns later. Do we really need MORE medical stuff involved in our kids’ lives?
How are your kids playing? How are you playing with them?
~Mickey
My Kid Can 