Does your kindergartener or first grader have PE at school?
By mommyboo
@mommyboo (13174)
United States
May 24, 2009 1:58pm CST
If they do, how often? Is it every day, is it MWF, is it T/Th, or just ONCE a week? What is going on with this? When I was in elementary, we had some sort of PE every day. If it wasn't every day in kindergarten, it was at least three days a week, even though I was only there half a day. Why am I seeing and/or hearing so much about schools not doing PE at all? It is recommended that all kids get at least an hour of physical activity a day. If they are in school for SIX HOURS and then the school sends home stuff and expects them to do HOMEWORK for another hour? Where in the world do they have time for much - unless they use part of the school day for it? I know that in older elementary grades and middle school, I had PE every day... at least 45 minutes of it. In high school it was a requirement to have at least 2 years of PE, and again that was every day, for about 50 minutes. On top of that, there were always sports programs and intramural - pick up teams that played a quick game during lunch or whatever. I did stuff like that too. The schools don't even need to buy anything, or if they do, a couple soccer balls, a few basketballs? Not an expensive proposal by any means.
How do you feel about this? Don't you think your child deserves to not just learn how to read and comprehend and study, but how to be healthy? What's the point of someone who gets a 4.0 and accepted to Yale and drops dead of a heart attack because they never took care of themselves physically? I guess some of the burden also lies with the parents. What do you do to show your kids that taking care of yourself physically is important? Do you engage in physical activity with them? Walk, hike, play tag, swim, skate, bike? Do you go to a gym?
2 people like this
4 responses
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
24 May 09
Not all schools do have PE. y grandkids had PE when we lived on a military installation but not in the schools when they went to public schools. Back in the 60s JFK started all schools having PE but it has fallen by the wayside since then. My grandkids didn't have PE in middle school or high school. I believe that is one reason for the kids becoming obese.
1 person likes this
@revellanotvanella (4033)
• United States
24 May 09
my god, I couldn't imagine them not having it in middle or high school!! Geez, that sounds more awful then the boring workforce. Where do they burn off all that excess hormone and frustration??
1 person likes this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
25 May 09
I really don't get it either. Any job requires you to get 2 15 breaks during the day including at least a 30 minute lunch break. and these kids are in school at least 7 hours. i think PE has been eliminated because it requires a PE teacher, extra expence.
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
8 Jun 09
I agree with you. I think it is a huge disservice to take extra things out of the school day. I do not feel that kids should be in school more than 6 hours anyway - ESPECIALLY if they are not going to offer things like PE every day, things like art, music, vocational things. Kids need skills for LIFE, not just 'how to pass all the tests so the schools get more money'. That is so ridiculous. I have never used any of the skills I learned for a TEST in my real life, not in enough of a sense to have made it important.
Plus, with all the emphasis on academics only and all the extra crap work they send home, how do kids ever have TIME for extracurricular stuff like SPORTS or even just playing? Riding a bike? Much less doing anything like work part time... yeah, this is getting really bad.
@revellanotvanella (4033)
• United States
24 May 09
Mommy,
I had no idea, thanks so much for bringing this to my attention. I have my daughter going off to school in the next year or two and I am definately going to be looking into PE programs in the schools in my local area. I live next to two different school districts and considering a charter school and I can't imagine my little baby not having PE. Do you know the reason their cutting PE? I know one reason is probably its one less salary they have to pay but could bullying have anything to do with it as you always hear that now? I know when I had PE it felt very awkward but still something I looked forward to. Maybe they consider Recess "PE"? I worry exactly about the point you made, lack of hours in the day.
Im a stay at home now but when my baby goes off to school she's going to be exposed to soda, candy, and processed foods, things I try hard to limit and Im aware that many schools have soda machines now. But the class I find more responsible is HEALTH class and see PE as kind of an extension. I think these classes really need to educate children about Diabetes, the anatomy of Heart Disease, WHY soda and high fructose should be limited, and the importance of vitamins!!
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
8 Jun 09
This is really hard for me to understand. I thought it was odd that I didn't get more responses too, considering how many parents of young kids I see here at mylot. Anyway, the lack of PE is certainly adding to the whole obesity crisis, and even a lot of parents add to the problem by not being active themselves or not teaching their kids any healthy habits.
Many schools seem to be cutting ANYTHING that is not strictly academic, and although this makes sense to some administrators or educators, it makes LITTLE sense to the kids and not much sense to me as a parent. People are SO into making sure college students are WELL ROUNDED by expecting them to take all sorts of extra crap classes that have nothing to do with their intended major or end degree (for instance, if I was going for psychology, I'd still HAVE to take math and history and things that really have nothing to do with what I need to know for psychology) but why not expect the SAME well roundedness for elementary and older kids??
I think the schools are getting better about having healthier options, especially with younger kids, and you can pack their lunches or snacks too. I know health class IS a requirement and I don't think that's getting cut, just some of the PE.
@4mymak (1793)
• Malaysia
1 Jun 09
i am quite embarassed to share this, but.. i really forgot how much PE lesson i had when i was in grade school..
i only remember that i played a lot.. i arrive at school quite early - plenty of time to play before school starts.. so even if i only had 40 minutes of 'official PE' class every week.. i had plenty of exercise in between..
i think my children are also having 40-minutes of official PE lessons every week, but i am sure they play during their recess, before or after school.. so, i dont think i would worry about them not getting enough exercise..
i may be one of the 'guilty' parents who dont exercise.. but i certainly dont stop my children from any physical activities..
@DkAngelPrincess (329)
• United States
24 May 09
My children have it everyday. Our school system believes in physical activity. They require it in high school here. It is a hour long. My children love it. They learn how to play games and they get in shape.
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
8 Jun 09
That's wonderful! I think here that the school system gives it lip service but they don't follow through by making sure that some of the funds is invested in making sure kids have PE. They should. I would rather take some of the funding away from testing or academics for PE no matter what. I'd even be on board with an extra 30 minutes of school day if it meant kids got PE.
