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DARK SIDE TO OVERDOING ACTIVITIES
CHILDREN ALSO NEED DOWN TIME
Karate from 4 to 5 Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; soccer from 6 to
7 Tuesdays and Saturdays; piano on Friday � Extracurricular activities
can be wonderful for children. They can add discipline,
responsibilities, social skills and self-confidence. However, there is
a dark side to too many activities; children can become burned out,
have difficulty keeping up with their studies or be too busy to simply
be a child.
Some parents are driven by peer pressure; they simply want to keep up
with the Joneses. Others may be well meaning, but so anxious to provide
their children with all the opportunities they themselves never had,
that they lose sight on how the child is handling the pressures of so
many activities. Children should interact and participate in programs
with other children; however, we must remember that they also need down
time. Ann Zander of Colorado State University notes that children have
12 hours per week less free time today than they did 20 years ago.
Young children change so rapidly that it is sometimes difficult to
recognize when they are stressed. The younger child also may not have
the language skills to adequately describe how they are feeling, so we
must look at their behavior for clues. Following are some signs of
stress in young children:
Increased moodiness;
If your child is suffering from two or more of these symptoms on a
regular basis, it may be time to sit down for a heart to heart. No
matter what the child�s age, if he is overscheduled, chances are he
will show some signs of stress. So, how do know how much is too much?
According to R. Murali Krishna, president of INTEGRIS Mental Health and
the James L. Hall Jr. Center for Mind, Body and Spirit in Oklahoma,
children should be allowed to create a �wish list� of activities to
choose from. Krishna suggests that parent and child together sit down
and discuss which activities to pursue, and which ones to take a break
from.
It can be difficult to balance activities that a child wants with those
the parent wants for the child. Parents need to remember that they are
in charge, and can certainly choose activities they feel will be
beneficial for their children as well. An extremely shy child may not
want to engage in any outside activities; however, exposure to other
children may be beneficial for his social growth
Sometimes, the child becomes overloaded with activities of her own
choosing. It is important to sit down with your child and realistically
try and map out how much time they need to devote to their various
activities and obligations. Things to consider should include:
Will they still have free time to be with their family?
As the new school year begins and we deal with the excitement of
starting fresh activities, let us try to maintain a careful eye on the
amount of time we are committing for our children. As it is, they grow
so fast. It is better to make memories of time �wasted� playing with
your children than to regret the lost time tomorrow.
Teesta Sullivan has a JD, a MSH and B.A. in Psychology. She is the area developer for FasTracKids and also president of Legendary Beginnings Inc., an authorized licensee of FasTracKids. She can be reached at (813) 792-0077.
In 1994, IACPA started the Washington Leadership Program (WLP) to
introduce college students to the political process through
Congressional internships. The idea was to offer students a first-hand
look at the political process while receiving leadership training.
Each year, IACPA selects 16 students who participate in the eight-week
summer program. The students receive two weeks of leadership training
and a six-week internship with members of Congress. WLP has so far
placed approximately 150 interns with more than 12 senators and 50
Congressman.
Aakash Patel, a Florida State University senior and graduate of Sickles
High School in Tampa, just completed his internship with WLP. Patel was
the first student selected from the Tampa Bay area in the program�s
history. He interned with Congressman Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), former
co-chair for the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.
Here are some of Patel�s most memorable experiences from his summer in
Washington, D.C.:
I will never forget the first day of my internship with Congressman Joe
Wilson (R-S.C.). I arrived to work and began to do the usual intern
office work. At around 5 p.m., Congressman Wilson was finished with his
meetings. At 5:15, the internship coordinator asked me into the
congressman�s office for an introduction. Congressman Wilson not only
knew a little bit about me, but he started asking me questions about
and the Tampa Bay area.
Ten minutes later, the congressman said it was time for him to give a
speech at an event. He then looked at me and said �Would you like to
come to this event with me.� The next thing I knew, we continued
chatting as we were walking down the halls. We then entered the event
and several people greeted him. Without hesitation, the congressman
introduced me, to everyone who walked up to him. That is when I knew
that I was placed in the right office.
Weeks went on in the office and continued to educate me on information
that I needed to know. Everyone in the office became like a big family.
Whether it was going to a baseball game, soccer game or attending a
fundraiser, the staff in my office always invited me to events so I
could see the different sides of the political spectrum.
Everyday was a new adventure. Some days, I was in the office answering
phones and giving Capitol tours to constituents, while other days I was
with the congressman at press conferences or hearings.
I attended some events with Manmohan Singh, the prime minister of
India. I was fortunate enough to be in the VIP viewing area on the
White House South Lawn at the official arrival ceremony of Prime
Minister Singh with President Bush. I also attended the Joint Session
of Congress to hear Singh�s address. After the Joint Session address, I
was with Congressman Wilson at the House International Relations
Committee meeting where Prime Minister Singh gave an informal
testimony. After a few minutes of questioning by the members, the bell
rang for Congressman to go vote, so the meeting was cut sort. I looked
at my fellow WLP intern Parth and told him we should go get a picture.
My camera was acting up so we were trying to fix it.
The next thing we know, Prime Minister Singh came to our side of the
room and stuck out his hand right in front of me. I shook his hand and
he looked at me straight in the eye and said, �You are the future and
we in India are proud of you." I was in shock. Congressman Wilson also
came over and said a few words about me to the prime minister. I
couldn�t believe it. Then I, Congressman Wilson and Prime Minister
Singh posed for a picture. That is one picture and one day in my life
that I will never forget. After these eight weeks, I know now that I
want to work and serve my community just as I have seen firsthand
through Congressman Wilson.
Aakash Patel is a Political Science and English Literature double major
at Florida State University. He is in his second term as a member of
the Student Senate, and is an award-winning delegate on the traveling
FSU Model United Nations team. Before his internship, Patel worked part
time for three years as an editorial assistant for the St. Petersburg
Times Capital Bureau. He also is a two-time recipient of the Florida
Capitol Press Corps Journalism Scholarship and a recent graduate of the
Florida Chamber of Commerce�s College Leadership Florida (Class VII)
program.
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