Busy children shown to do better

New research into the lives of middle-class children bucks conventional wisdom they are an over-scheduled and stressed-out generation.

It shows participation in organised activities is linked to positive outcomes in school, emotional development, family life and behaviour.

The children most at risk had no activities at all.

"I found the opposite of what I expected," said Sandra Hofferth, of the University of Maryland, who will speak at the 30th International Conference for Time-Use Research in Sydney in December.

Dr Hofferth found in her study of 331 children aged from nine to 12 that the best off led a balanced life with involvement in one or two activities, for less than four hours, over the two days tracked in the study. Almost 60 per cent of the children fell into this category. But even the 25 per cent who best fitted the description of "over-scheduled" were doing almost as well on a range of measures.

Of particular concern were the 17 per cent with no activities, a group that was more withdrawn and socially immature, and had lower self-esteem.

Dr Hofferth said she had originally believed that lots of activities were bad for children. But the data showed otherwise. "We just don't find that the children who are more active are more stressed," she said.

Increasing numbers of middle-class parents have felt pressure to give their children every opportunity but then feel anxious their children lead hurried lives with no time to daydream or experience boredom.

Books such as What's the Hurry?, The Hurried Child and The Overscheduled Child have urged parents to back off and let children play.

Dr Hofferth's findings echoed earlier research by Columbia University's Suniya Luthar, who found children reacted negatively to pressure for achievement - not to busy schedules. Feeling criticism from adults in their lives turned activities from being a source of enjoyment into a source of anxiety. Continued...