New “physical activity” guidelines (from
the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology along with Participaction) for
Canadian kids suggest that kids under the age of 4 should move at least 180
minutes a day, prompting this old parent to ask,” When did it happen that we
now inhabit a world where we need guidelines to allow kids to play? Who let
that happen?”
Furthermore, the guidelines state that kids
under 2 should be prohibited from any time in front of electronic devices such
as TVs, tablets, and screens, while kids between 2 and 4 should be limited to
30 minutes a day max on all screen face-time combined.
Can that be done?
Seems so: my 1-year-old grand-daughter
apparently gets no screen time at all save occasional Skype visits from her
other grandma who happens to live across the continent.
Is she unhappy with that limitation?
Not really since she has no idea those
things exist so she spends her time moving around and playing.
Can every parent do that?
Of course not, but what we can do way more
of, I think, is not use electronic devices as fall-back baby-sitters or quiet
time monitors.
The simple fact is that kids need to run,
to play, and to interact with other kids in a physical manner, not by
pretending to kill electronic space invaders.
