Whether Parents Influence the Participation of Their Children in Sporting Activities - Essay Example

Qualitative Reporting Introduction: This is a report on the qualitative research undertaken under the main theme of sports. The research sought to identify on whether parents influence the participation of their children in sporting activities. The manner of collecting data was by use of an interview, and four samples were used to obtain information pertaining to the role of parents in shaping the sporting activities of their children. During the study, fifteen questions were asked to the four individuals who acted as samples for the research. The questions focused on identifying people who encouraged students to engage in sports, who discouraged them from engaging in sports, whether parents participate in physical activities, and the role of health in promoting the participation of a child in physical activity. On this note, the minor themes that relate to the major theme of this report are; family, health condition and childhood. The research conducted manages to highlight these themes through fifteen questions, which focus on the role of parents in promoting physical activities amongst their children, their role in hindering physical activities amongst their children, the role of health care in sports, and the manner in which an individual engaged in physical activities. By looking at how the fifteen questions are structured, though they depict a minor theme, an answer to them contributes in answering the major theme of the research. This major theme is the role of parents or family in influencing their children to engage in sports/ physical activity. In this report, the four individuals interviewed highlighted the importance of family members in their socialization process, and this process led them to engage in physical activities. Family socialization process refers to the methodologies that people learn, and thereafter develop into adulthood possessing the characteristics that they have. For instance, there are high chances that an adult person who is a fan of football engaged in the sport during his or her childhood (Sansone and Harackiewicks, 430). Chances are likely that this engagement was motivated by their parents or family members. This is because as a child, a person requires guidance in all the affairs of their lives; from education, to the sports and recreational life they engage in (Sansone and Harackiewicks, 417). From the findings of the interview, this report proves that parents, through their guidance, play a role in influencing their children on the kind of physical activity they engage in. This report analyzes the findings from the qualitative research which denotes that parents play a role in teaching their children on values that will help them in making their lives comfortable, and healthy (Sansone and Harackiewicks, 423). All the four individuals interviewed agreed with this notion. This report analyzes the findings that engaging in physical fitness is an important element in promoting the health status of an individual. On this note, health and sports goes hand in hand. Boreham and Riccoch (921) agree with the notion that physical exercises improve the health condition of an individual, and reduces the risks of a person developing diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The four individuals interviewed agreed with this notion; and this report, in detail analyzes their answer in view of this. Theme 1: Family During an interview with Eve Muirehead, she admitted that she is a professional curler. Curling is a sport that involves sliding stones towards a target area segmented into four pieces of rings, across a sheet of ice. Since the major theme of this report is sports, it was an interesting moment of gathering data from Miss Eve; since she is a sports personality, and there are high chances that the information obtained from her are reliable. Eve admitted that her father played a big role in influencing her involvement in sports. For instance, from the data collected, she gives the history of her father as a high level professional curler. She further states that her interest in the sport developed at a younger age, when together with the brother, they would watch the performance of their father. Later on, at the age of 9, she started taking lessons on curling, at the influence of her father. This data proves that family is an important element in shaping the beliefs of an individual regarding the sports activity they need to engage in (Boreham and Riccoch, 918). Eve had the support of the father and the brother, who at a younger age introduced her to the sport of curling. The Social cognitive theory better explains this parental influence on Eve. This theory examines the relationship between environmental, behavioral and cognitive factors which are reciprocal in nature. Various authors denote that parents can influence the behavior of their children indirectly or directly by influencing the socio-economic, physical, socio-cognitive and the cultural environment where children operate in (Boreham and Riccoch, 915) . In our case above, the father of Eve managed to influence the life of Eve through the physical environment in which Eve operated in. For instance, Eve was able to physical see her father practicing and engaging in the sport of curling. The Social cognitive theory identifies three methods in which an individual can influence the behavior of a child, these methods are, social support process, role modeling, and social influence (Welk, Wood and Morss, 22). In the case of Eve, she saw her father as a role model, and this influenced her into joining the sports, just as her father did. Christina Po Wenger is another person interviewed, and she engages in Horse Riding and Ballet. According to her father forcefully tried to influence her in engaging in sports. Christina observes that her parents never played a role in influencing her to engage in sports activity. She denotes that they were neutral in regard to sports, and when her father tried to influence her into engaging in physical activity, she refused. However, she now engages in Sports, and this is thanks to the school in which she went to. In analyzing this situation, it is prudent to denote that the parents played an indirect role in influencing Christina into engaging in physical activity. Taking her to a school that emphasizes on the need of children to exercise was the role the parents played. Authors denote that parents play a role in influencing the physical activities of their children by controlling the kind of resources which can either promote, or hinder sports. Christina had an access to bicycles, and horses, and this was possible by the contribution of her parents, and to a great extent, they played a role in influencing her decision to engage in physical activity. Stuart Mackaill does not engage in any sports, but is a fan of football. At a younger age, Stuart played football, and was greatly influenced by the mother. However, as he grew older, Stuart stopped engaging in physical activities, because the father did not. This notion reconciles with one of the elements of cognitive social theory which denotes that role modeling is a factor in influencing children on whether to participate in sports or not. In the case of Stuart, he followed after the father, and stopped engaging in sports (Shakib and Dunbar, 28; Boreham and Riccoch, 921). The father was his role model, and because of this, he directly influenced the beliefs of Stuart in relation to engaging in Physical activities. Steven Jackson on the other hand plays golf and rugby, and was introduced into it at a younger age. The father used to play golf, and the school in which he attended was rugby oriented. According to the social cognitive theory, Jackson engaged in sports because of social influence. This is denoted by his acceptance that he got involved in the sport through the Stewarts Melville College. This was outside the school where his father took him when he was playing golf. Schools are agents of socialization, and according to the social cognitive theory, her father influenced her through this agent. Theme 2: Health: During the interview, there was a question touching on the importance of health in sports. This is because, over the years, scientists have agreed on the contributions of physical activities in improving the health status of an individual. According to research, the positive effects of engaging in physical activities results to the prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and depression (Welk, Wood, and Morss, 29). Eve agrees with this notion. She denotes that, the more a person engages in physical activities, the higher are the chances that such an individual is healthy. Christina Po Wenger, Steven Jackson and Stuart Mackail all believe that a person engages in physical activity, is more likely to be healthy than a person who does not engage in any physical activity. According to research, physical fitness amongst young people leads to the development of their bones, lungs and heart. It also leads to the development of the motor skills of the child, and to his or her cognitive functioning (Welk, Wood and Morss, 27). Eve, Christina, Steven and Stuart realized this, and they all concur that sports is an important element in determining the health condition of an individual. On this note therefore, remaining physically active is an important step in ensuring the functional capacity of a person, and therefore helps in maintaining the high quality of an individual’s life brought about by sound health (Shakib and Dunbar, 277). However, engaging in physical activity and sports does not guarantee a healthy lifestyle, because there are a number of factors that must be combined to ensure the healthy lifestyle of an individual (Sallis, Taylor and Prochaska, 964). One of the main factors to consider, and this is depicted in the data collected is the nature of the physical and the sporting activity. For instance, Eve engages in curling, Steven Jackson plays golf and rugby, and Christina engages in Horse riding. These are constructive sporting activities that do not pose a great danger to the people involved, in case they strictly follow the rules of the game. There must also be an element of enjoying the sporting activity. It is impossible for a person to achieve a good health condition when the same individual engages in an activity that does not please him. This will affect him psychologically, impacting on his overall health condition (Shakib and Dunbar, 291). For instance, Steven Jackson denotes that he never enjoyed playing and watching rugby because of the seriousness of the father while attending rugby matches. Psychologically, this affected Steven, and he needed psychological therapy to rectify the situation. Theme 3: Child Hood The four individuals interviewed engaged in sports since they were children. For instance Eve got engaged in Sports when she was younger than 9 years old. It is during this time that she went with the brother to watch her father engage in sporting activity. Eve attended her first curling lesson at the age of 9 years. In analyzing this data, it is important to denote that parents play an important role in the early development of a child (Sallis, Alcaraz, McKenzoe, Hovell and Nader, 240). At this age, Eve’s father managed to create an interest on Eve, in regard to the sport of curling. This satisfies an element of the social cognitive theory which denotes that a parent is the main determinant on whether a child will engage in sports or note (Sallis, Taylor and Prochaska, 971). This is because of the influence a parent has on an individual when he or she was young. Christina is another person introduced into sporting at a younger age of 3 years. In Christina case, it is the school that introduced her to sports through P.E lessons. The social cognitive theory denotes that institution’s play a role in the socialization process of small children (Sallis et al, 237). It is through the school that Christina got an interest in horse riding, and sports. The school succeeded, where the father failed. However, the father played an indirect role in influencing Christina to engage in physical activity at a younger age. This is by taking her to a school that had lessons on physical education, (P.E). Stuart played football at a younger age, and when he grew older he left, while Steven Jackson was introduced to sports at the age of three years. It is prudent to denote that people introduced into the sporting world at a younger age are most likely to continue with sports when they reach adulthood (Sallis, Taylor and Prochaska, 967). When they engage in sporting activities at a younger age, they are capable of making friends, and this is the case of Steven Jackson, who admits that he got the capability of making new friends by engaging in sports and physical activity. Conclusion: To conclude this analysis, it is prudent to denote that all the three themes covered all point to a major theme of sports, and the role of parents in influencing their children to engage in sports. Data from the four respondents prove that parents play a great role in influencing their children to engage in sporting activities. They do this at a younger, and on most occasions they are successful. For instance, Christina, Eve and Steven engaged in sports due to the contribution of their parents when they were young. A good example is Eve and Steve whose parents played a direct role in influencing their perception in regard to sports. Their parents directly took them to sporting centers, and an interest developed as a result of this action. To them, their parents were role models, and it was wise to emulate them. This notion concurs with the social cognitive theory, which denotes that parents influence the behavior of their children by acting as role models. In the case of Stuart, the father was not a sports person, and Stuart followed his example and desisted from engaging in sports activities, even though he played football at a younger age. This also satisfies the notion of the concept of role modeling depicted in the social cognitive theory (Shakib and Dunbar, 287). This report also highlights the importance of sports in promoting the health of an individual. The four denotes that the four individuals interviewed agree with the notion that engaging in sports and physical activity improves the health status of an individual. From the report, we can also deduce that the events that occur during the childhood of a person, contribute to his beliefs when the individual is an adult. On this note therefore, it is important to denote that a child should be introduced into the sporting world at a younger age, since it will impact greatly on whether he will continue with the activity during his or her adulthood. It is therefore important to encourage parents to buy resources that will encourage their children to engage in sports. These resources can be balls, bicycles, skipping ropes, or toys that will enable children to play with them. The government must also introduce awareness programs whose main purpose is to teach parents on the importance of sports and physical exercises in relation to promoting the health condition of their children, and enhancing their motor skills. The government must develop recreational centers, whose targets are children, for purposes of promoting sports and physical activities amongst these young people (Shakib and Dunbar, 282). Another recommendation is to introduce compulsory classes in Physical Education at primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. This will promote the development of sports, and improve the health condition of the nation’s citizens. Works Cited: Boreham, C, and C Riccoch. "The Physical Activity, Health and Fitness of Children." Journal of Sports Sciences 19 (2001): 915-929. Print. Sallis, J, W Taylor, and J Prochaska. "A review of Corrolates of Physical activity of Children and Adolescents." Mediine and Science in Sports and Exercise 32 (2000): 963-975. Print. Sallis, J. F, Alcaraz,J.E, McKenzoe, T.L, Hovell, M.F, Kolody, B, and Nader, P.R . "Parental Behaviour in Relation to Physical Activity and Fitness in 9 year old Children." American Journal of Diseases of Children 1 (1992): 234-241. Print. Sansone, C, and Harackiewiecs, J.M. "Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation." Serach For Optimum Motivation and Perfomance 27 (2000): 405-439. Print. Shakib, S, and Dunbar, M.D. "How High School Athletes Talk About Maternal and Parental Sporting Experiences." International Review for the Sociology of Sports 39.3 (2004): 275-299. Print. Welk, G, Wood, K and Morss, G. "Parental Influences on Physical Activity in Children;An exploration of Potential Mechanisms." Paediatric Exercise Science 15 (2003): 19-33. Print. Top of Form Bottom of Form Read More