Want a Strong Kid? Encourage Play, Not Competition.

Outside Online – Katie Arnold

Early last summer, a friend asked me if I would take her 11-year-old daughter running. There was a local 5K coming up in a few weeks, and she thought I could help coach the girl to success in her first race. I hesitated. Her question went right to the thorny heart of modern parenting. Most children these days aren’t getting enough exercise or time to move their bodies outside. But many others are stressed out by an overdose of structured, competitive sports. (more)