20
&
August 2015
4. Encourages
physical fitness and
social interaction
Four Good Ways ‘Bad Behavior’
Helps Kids
Risky play helps physical, emotional development
By Theona Layne
When you were a kid, your
parents probably discouraged any
roughhousing. Anything from wrestling to tackling to jumping on the
bed or the couch were all big no-nos.
But according to a recent study by
the University of British Columbia,
“risky play” is actually great for kids’
physical and emotional development. Here are four good ways bad
behavior helps kids.
1. Makes kids
smarter
“Safe parent-child roughhousing simultaneously activates
multiple parts of the brain, which
is the essence of brain development,” said Dr. Anthony T.
DeBenedet, co-author of “The
Art of Roughhousing: Good OldFashioned Horseplay and Why
Every Kid Needs It.”
Yes, that’s right. Kids who take
part in rough-and-tumble play with
their parents develop higher IQs,
which automatically translates to
better grades in school. According
to DeBenedet, roughhousing also
builds social and emotional intelligence. When kids engage in
roughhousing, the brain releases a
chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is
necessary for learning and memory.
Roughhousing also develops emotional intelligence skills by allowing kids to be more aware of their
feelings and more conscious of the
feelings of those around them. Kids
learn to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behavior by
learning to read body language and
facial expressions.
Through social intelligence, kids
develop invaluable leadership and
negotiation skills that follow them
into adulthood. Kids with strong
social intelligence skills let others
take turns and know to hold back
their strength when playing with
younger, smaller children.
2. Develops
confidence and selfesteem
Roughhousing has an enormous
impact on how kids develop confidence and self-esteem. It’s this trust
in self that lets kids know when to
lead and when to be a part of a team
without blindly following others.
Plus, confident kids who feel secure
enough in themselves tend not to bully
other kids.
As they grow into men, boys learn
that physical contact isn’t necessarily
violent or sexual. Although roughhousing is usually associated with dads
and sons, it isn’t restricted to gender.
In fact, parents should encourage safe
roughhousing with daughters as well.
Here’s why: For girls, roughhousing
is especially important because it
helps them develop the confidence
to express themselves and say what’s
on their minds. “Roughhousing
allows them to find their voice,” said
DeBenedet, whose book has a lot of
great age-appropriate, fun and safe
roughhousing activity suggestions.
3. Deepens the
parent-child
emotional bond
Rough play is not only a lot of fun,
it also strengthens the relationship
between parent and child by helping
release oxytocin, one of the brain’s
feel-good chemicals. This compound
increases feelings of trust and fosters
emotional bonds. As a result, kids
grow closer to their parents and feel
safe enough to talk about personal
issues.
With childhood obesity reaching
record levels, it is more important
than ever to engage in fun physical activity. And what better way
than to roughhouse on a regular
basis? Wrestling, tackling, running
and other similar activities develop
strength, flexibility and resilience.
Up until about age 8, kids love
rough-and-tumble play such as pillow fights and tackling. When kids
get older, they’ll appreciate more
physically challenging activities that
develop problem-solving skills.
When roughhousing, it is important to always maintain eye contact.
Parents should also enforce ground
rules. For example, insist no punching or kicking is allowed.
Roughhousing is a fantastic way
for kids to release stress, increase IQ
and just have f [