6PaediatricExerciseSafeGuardingChildren

Too often we hear 'junior' coaches, club coaches and parents say, that, 'children need variety'.

Usually, this is in reference to sports activities and coaching children.

However, none of these parents or coaches have ever studied paediatric psychology, paediatric exercise or paediatric physiology. So, it is a wonder where they get their ideas from.

Simply being parents does not make us the best judges of what their needs are.

Children appear better, than adults, at sustaining monotony.

They go to school; they agree to eat the food the parents provide; they go to bed and get up at the same times everyday; and so on…

Sports coaching courses lack proper paediatric education.

As such, the coaches at clubs lack any paediatric structure.

Club coaches and parents, use the word 'fun' with such abandon and flippancy. They are defining 'fun' by the parametres of sporting federation's narrow, non-inclusive coaching courses. They do not define the law on what is meant by 'fun'!

'Fun' should be a by-product of stimulating activities: not the end-goal. If one defines a coaching session as having to be 'fun', one is setting oneself up to fail. 'Fun' is subjective: it is not the same for all.

Activities should be stimulating and interesting.

At the same time, they should maintain an educational purpose to teach the seven Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) required to broaden the child's development.

Additionally, behavioural boundaries must be considered.

Too often, we are obsessed by the physical aspect of child behaviour and over-look the emotional and behavioural aspects. We can ascertain a great deal from how a child behaves in a group. How an individual child behaves in a group can impact on the dynamics of the group. Being atuned and aware of individual behave, can result in a better way of managing a group and pre-empting any pending disruptive elements.

Age-grouping is one of the biggest mistakes made in clubs and societies.

Age-grouping children in groups of similar age does not take into account different maturation rates. We all develop at different rates. In physical activities, it is fundamental to work with children of similar developmental levels, as opposed to similar ages.

Learning more about how a child develops psychologically and physically is an important first-step to better safe-guarding.

Safe-guarding is not a one-point tick-box strategy. It is the understanding of a child's development and being.

6. Paediatric Exercise: Safe-Guarding Children