The Bar just keeps getting higher... As it very well should.

It does sound like you and your children lead a healthy, active lifestyle. That is generally not typical, though.

I am with you on that! My kids ribs show because they are so darn skinny. They get plenty of exercise and are plenty active, but now I'm supposed to worry because their one hour racquetball class might only be 56.5 minutes of actual action?

I guess this generation of parents are all around, general failures. At least that is what these studies amount to telling us. Maybe they should just put kids on treadmills during the day for 8 hours instead of at desks? Or maybe they can run laps around the lunch room while they try to eat?

I'm sorry, but this just makes me angry . . . .

Agreed. Then if your kids BMI is "too lean" they send you letters home about that too - insert eye rolling here. My daughter came home crying that her school report said she "needed to consult w/ her dr about being too lean". Yes, she's thin, she wears slim pants. Nothing abnormal though, my pediatrician chuckled at it. Nothing is ever "good enough" for these crazies is it?

They weighed me at school, but I never got a letter or anything. Guess my weight was normal. Anyway, I was still humilated. They told us it was a vision/hearing check. Fine. If I had known they were going to measure and weigh us as well, I would've slipped out a side door. You don't do those kinds of things at school.

Incredible. When I was growing up, all I and my friends wanted to do was get outside and play. We could go all day. Now, it's a struggle to get them to do a single hour.

While keeping your childs weight down is obviously healthy, excercise is for more than just that. It also keeps strong bone density, muscle density, stress levels down, choloresteral and blood pressure down as they get older and is preventative against many diseases a sedentary life can promote. Also a active child is more likely to be an active adult as opposed to a couch potato with health problems.

No, it isn't doctors raising the bar to get your kids to do more and more, they are merely sharing results from extensive studies performed. Once upon a time, kids used to be outside playing for far, far more than an hour aday. When I was growing up, when we were out of school, we'd leave the house shortly after breakfast and not come back until darn near dinner. This concept is definitely out dated. They want kids to do more because kids have been doing less and less over the generations and it's not good for them.

My kids were/are so skinny, we used to lie about their weight. One kid is now a coxswain on a college rowing team, she is required to be a lightweight, and since it's natural, she does not have to starve herself.

If you want activities with constant motion, that would be cross-country running or marching band. Otherwise, let kids do what they love.

If your kids are skinny from genetics it's one thing but those who are skinny from eating diorders is another thing. Growing up, my brother was skinny as a rail, while I stuggled to maintain my weight. To this day it's still the same. That boy can eat what he wants night and day and maintain a good weight, I have watch every bite and consistantly workout to maintain myself.

This is shocking. I've never seen fat people in sports.

Yeah right.

lola3, obviously your kids are doing just fine. The same cannot be said about the kids who cannot do a single lap around the blacktop and huff n' puff to get to lunch (and trust me, there are plenty of them). The bar keeps being raised because people are constantly becoming less and less active every year due in no small part to the inactivity parents promote when they buy their children Halo for the xbox or what have you.

Thank you, yes. They are wonderful. Sometimes I just get fet-up. Either parents are told they are not doing enough, or they are helicopter parents and they are doing too much. Where's my happy medium?
The article just struck me the wrong way.

Merry Christmas.

This is a half-a@@ed "study" at best. Like the kids don't get the "missing" 15 minutes of exercise in PE and other activities.

It's merely a guideline, not a mandated law. Calm down, no one's peeking through your windows making sure your working your kids out.

Actually... that's the problem. It almost *is* to the point where people are peeking through windows and wanting to mandate it by law.

Exactly yhtbk -- I'm tired of being told by the schools and by my own family how rotten of a parent I am because I'm not doing the "right" thing. How about letting parents be parents, make mistakes sometimes (because last I checked there isn't an instruction manual handed out with the kids when you get them), and do the best you can? I'm tired of being made to feel like a failure because I am not the perfect parent!

Your all too sensitive. You can't even take someone trying to help parents by pointing out the flaws in 'simple-minded' plans for child fitness. All it's saying is one sport may not be enough, especially if it's a baseball derivative. It's pointing out something that may be overlooked by parents & it is CERTAINLY NOT mandating anything.
youhavetobekidding-2704782 DON'T make @!$%# up, no one at any point of peeking in your windows or mandating any exercise. Get with the real world not the made up paranoia that exists in your head only.

Why don't you people grow thicker skin & realize that all these recommendations come about because the MAJORITYof parents are not doing a good job? Rather than taking exception & telling us how your different, like anyone in an online anonymous forum cares.

belle42 If People are specifically telling you 'your a rotten parent' repeatedly, then maybe the answer is...your just a rotten parent.

Or maybe I'm doing the best I can and it just isn't good enough for some people like you Illuminati. Why don't YOU try being a single mom who is held to a higher standard than the 'dad' who should be there for everything...then getting the blame when daddy isn't there.

Well bless your heart, I guess you've never made a mistake in your life. I hope that continues or you start walking on water. Either way, good day to you.

Arn't violations of CoH deleted? This one stands because....?

I'll venture a guess because it was an accurate assesment to someone who is clearly sensitive about their child-rearing techniques. Either A) Someone is a good parent & only need to heed advice with a grain of salt ( & not act indignant to ANY suggestions). Or B) They actually are a sub-par or just terrible parent, & they act indignant to advice because they know they are failing & rather then quietly adjust their style, they would rather b*tch in an online forum to people who don't care about their personal life. The psychology is easy, if you weren't actually failing, you wouldn't feel so bad.

She opened the door to being critiqued when she complained about 'the world conspiracy to tell her she's a bad parent'. When in actuality if your doing the best you can, you wouldn't feel so bad about yourself when someone suggested how to take care of their children better.

I don't know where they watched the baseball, but certainly games are not as active. But, my children go to practices several times a week where they do drills, run, practice hitting and catching. They aren't just standing around waiting for their turn to play. In case anyone hasn't noticed, you actually have to PRACTICE to learn a sport and I have yet to see a practice where nobody is getting adequate exercise!

While I think the entire premise of this article is silly, I find a good, old fashioned walk w/ my kids every day for 20 minutes does wonders. I get exercise, they get exercise, we talk, no cell phones or electronics allowed for kids or adults lol We don't "need" organized sports:)

I played baseball through high school and was slim and could run 6 miles. I don't know what your talking about but most baseball players are in extremely good shape. Most players don't have guts and most people who comment on this website would be hard pressed to beat them in any physical activity. A lot of the baseball players with bug guts are pitchers.

I agree Robi. I played softball for many years growing up and I can tell you, if you wanted to play and you were out of shape, you'd find yourself sitting on the bench. It was competitive for certain.

Most players don't have guts

No gut? That's terrible. How do they digest food and eliminate waste?

I think the article's point is that some sports are basically the equivalent of no exercise!

Yeah, like ping pong. Does that even count as a sport?

Watch some clips of competitive table tennis on YouTube - those guys are in constant movement.

True, they have to be in motion to eat.

Ummm, I think the report said an hour, no twenty four hours. If you want to make a point fine but blowing things out of proportion isn't going to give you credibility.

And let's not forget they will need to suck it up and play through all their injuries they are bound to receive!!

I remember trying to lose weight in high school. My teachers made us run around, with the timer going for a half hour, without stopping, no matter how many kids were wheezing. At first I had to stop and walk, and they yelled at me. So I started forcing myself to try and run the whole half hour. I eventually got up to about 15 minutes, but that was just because I didn't want my teacher to yell.

They aren't going to have a heart attack from over exertion - that's an old tale, perpetuated by couch potatos. Exercise is good - but not all sports are good exercise.

Do you seriously think kids will have a heart attack if they play for an hour a day?

How do you know this study is garbage? Are you a scientist? Did you participate or read the actual full report of this study to make a sound judgement? Um, I seen how people walk these days. Many don't. They lumber. Pick up the pace a little and extend the distance you make find some benifical resultes.

The article wants parents to be aware that although organized sports practice may be for 1 hr. that they might not actually be getting a full 60 min. of VIGOROUS activity. It's informational not punishing ... some parents may want to have their child get a few more minutes of activity instead of grabbing a seat on the couch.

It's not that "nothing is every good enough" It's keeping people informed. Even when I was a kid I did not come home from school and park myself in front of a tv, computer, video game, etc I went outside and biked, ran around, played with the neighbors, etc. A majority of Kids don't do that anymore...so it's important that there is an awareness about how much activity is being offered to our kids outside of the house.

what about cal ripken, derek jeter, alex rodriguez, matt wieters, brian roberts, nick markakis, joe mauer, jim palmer, dustin pedoria, I could go on and on. These people are all athletes who do much more out of baseball. Like triathlons for instance.

can you read? i said baseball players are not required to be athletes. sure there are lots that are, but its not uncommon to have multiple obese all stars

obese right. please provide facts.

Good Lord, now our schools are overstepping they're boundaries, and becoming worse than all the overprotective parents! Maybe drivers should learn to keep they're eyes on the road so that kids can walk.

That's beyond ridiculous. We crossed a major 4 lane highway all the time when I was in high school (approx 15yrs ago). There is just way too damn much coddling of kids, and too many litigious people that would sue a school if an ACCIDENT happened.

Well, my two kids would have to cross a 6-lane road crowded bumper-to-bumper with thousands going to work during rush hour, every day, on a road with NO lines/lights for crossing. At least 6 or 7 people are killed every year walking across the road because there is no safe place to cross.

My kids will continue to ride the bus to school, regardless of this study!! Besides, my daughter does gymnastics 3x per week for two hours. I think that's enough exercise; she competes some weekends as well....

Probably one that didn't have kids

Well said JoAnn. Well said.

And there is the real point. Activity or not, JoAnn... you're totally right. An active life is a wonderful thing... that an easily be ruined by the massive quantities of junk food that are too easy to fall back on.

I look at it differently... I can eat junk food BECAUSE I work out and burn large amounts of calories so I can eat what I want. Its about intake and output ratios

Watch out for obama-care to invade our lives more and more its a snake in the grass on health care.

I remember that. The streets used to be crowded with kids all the time. Now, they're all but empty. Today a neighbor across the street was in the front yard playing with his kids. What a rare sight that was. Growing up that was a normal occurance.

Couldn't agree more. I remember going out and playing after dark, until my parents had to call us in - usually after the street lights came on. We were always playing tag, frozen catchers, hide and seek, king of the hill, riding bikes, etc. I hardly see any of that in our neighborhood. Children may ride a bike over to a friends' house, but then they go inside and play xbox, instead of actually playing outside. Really sad, when you stop and think about it.

I remember that. Just last night I saw some kids playing and laughing on the street. It was early evening and the streetlights were on and I made a mental note only because you NEVER see that anymore.

Playing in canyons, the entire street full of kids having a water-balloon battle in the summer, walking a mile and a half to the 7/11 for candy. Hide and seek.

Good times.

What does he do on mundays, thersdays and fyrdays?

I don't think you get it it. Just because you and your family do what you feel is what you need to do to keep yourselves in shape, doesn't mean that everyone needs to do what you do. No one really cares what you do. The article is stating that even kids that play in organized sports aren't getting enough exercise. It really depends on when and how much. In regard to your comment on my 'heart attack' statement...I guess all those endorphins have rushed to your brain and numbed your perception of facetiousness.

lol Wisconsin Dad - why yes, mom of four, this mom of two is in shape. I "only" work out 3-4X a week for a 1/2 hr and do lowly walks w/ my kids. M daughter only does ballet and my son does the horrible baseball. We are all still lean and in good shape. That's what I hate about articles like this, you don't have to be obsessed to be in decent shape. I knew kids that had parents that were fitness fanatics and later on life, they really resented it, just saying because your post has a certain self-centered bent to it. Common sense wins the day every time!!

Idiot.

wow, very enlightened response. It's not that controversial an issue people. It's obvious that exercise is good, and our bodies function better when we maintain them with exercise. I agree with most posters here that showing your kids a healthy lifestyle by living one is the only way to go. Once again, I'm amazed at the display of nasty human nature on these posts, insulting each other and arguing over something as obvious and simple as an article about exercise. Way to go humanity!