Girls need sports, too!

Summer and fall are the times for signing up your kids for activities. There is so much to choose from with such little time. On another note, have you ever wondered why girls drop out of sports by the truckload once they reach high school? The drop out rate is seven times greater than that of boys. Why this happens is still a mystery. Maybe they feel over whelmed by the size of the school team, number of girls trying out, developing bodies, intensity of the competition...who knows? It often follows that if girl does not play a sport by the time she turns eight, she may not ever do so. So, what is a parent to do to motivate them to become active and healthy while gaining confidence?   Take your daughter to a sports event. If it's guys playing, mention that girls can play the same game and ask if she would like to go see a game. Then, follow through by taking her to a game. Monkey see and monkey do.  Play around as much as possible with your daughter in various sport settings. Go to the pool, kick balls, hit balls, hiking, skiing, running, biking and/or shoot hoops for fun. Do not nag.  When trying to get her up and moving, talk about your own experience with sports. Set your goal on showing her how much fun sports can be. Always be your child's number one fan. Regardless of her physical performance, cheer her on. Think of the all around health benefits as well as emotional balance she is gaining.   Whatever you do, do not over schedule your kids and do not force them to play a sport if they do not want to. There is a big difference in encouraging and "forcing."   Online Games Free Powerpoints