fgoodwin

Our district uses Yahoo Groups for announcements and discussion. Our Council doesn't have an official email newsletter as far as I know.

Terry, thanx for clearing that up; my apologies if I caused any undue alarm.

scoutldr: In the thread I mentioned, we were discussing adult religious awards -- no one said anything about gays, yet I saw five ads for gay products and services. And the explanation relates to searches -- I wasn't searching for anything when I saw the ads.

It appears the ads of the various sponsors rotate through. I don't know who hosts Scouter.com -- I guess I assumed Scouter.com used its own servers, and so I was mildly surprised that they would accept gay advertising. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. After all, Scouter.com is not affiliated with BSA in any official capacity. Still, I admit to being somewhat taken aback.

There are ads on many of the Scouter.com pages. When I was posting a reply in the "Adult Training Award Medal" thread, I noticed five gay ads. I was somewhat surprised, but I did take a screenshot before I left the page. If anyone wants a PDF of the print-screen, send me an email: fgoodwin@sbcglobal.net I can't send attachments via PM, so if anyone wants to see it, they'll have to ask for it.

Interesting -- when did this start? Is this a recent "sponsorship"? I hadn't noticed before today.

Lisabob, no we're talking about real medals, the kind you wear around your neck with a ribbon. I could be mistaken, but it sounds like you might've seen the Bronze Pelican lapel pin being worn on an adult religious award knot (which is purple knot on silver-gray background). Here's a picture of the Bronze Pelican medal (the lapel pin looks like the circular portion of the medal): http://www.peoria-dccs.org/BSA/Bronze%20Pelican%20app.html Its possible what you saw was an adult religious knot with a Bronze Pelican lapel pin worn as a "device". If its the Bronze Pelican, awarded by some Catholic Dioceses, I don't believe its appropriate to wear on the adult religious knot, because the Bronze Pelican doesn't qualify for the Catholic adult religious award; that's the St. George. Anyway, recipients of the Bronze Pelican are awarded a medal that can be worn around the neck on a ribbon, and a Bronze Pelican lapel pin.

If gays marry, churches could sufferhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0605260218may26,1,1440466.story http://tinyurl.com/zqu4g By Douglas W. Kmiec, a professor of constitutional law at Pepperdine University School of Law May 26, 2006 After an acrimonious session in which Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) stomped out and Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) bid him "good riddance," the Senate Judiciary Committee approved sending the federal marriage amendment to the full Senate. The Feingold-Specter tiff illustrates the intensity of feeling about adding to the text of the Constitution what the founders surely thought was obvious: "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman." The need to reaffirm the self-evident was prompted by Massachusetts' judicial recognition of same-sex marriage, which motivated more than a dozen states to overwhelmingly proclaim otherwise. With the states being so vigilant in defense of traditional marriage, is there really a need for the people to act? Yes. Activists are deployed across the country challenging traditional marriage, and it is more than likely that some additional judges will compound the Massachusetts mistake. This increased judicial approval of same-sex marriage will metastasize into the larger culture. Indeed, an insidious, but less recognized, consequence will be a push to demonize--and then punish--faith communities that refuse to bless homosexual unions. While it may be inconceivable for many to imagine America treating churches that oppose gay marriage the same as racists who opposed interracial marriage in the 1960s, just consider the fate of the Boy Scouts. The Scouts have paid dearly for asserting their 1st Amendment right not to be forced to accept gay scoutmasters. In retaliation, the Scouts have been denied access to public parks and boat slips, charitable donation campaigns and other government benefits. The endgame of gay activists is to strip the Boy Scouts (and by extension, any other organization that morally opposes gay marriage) of its tax-exempt status under both federal and state law. For technical legal reasons, it is difficult to challenge a religious group's non-profit status in federal court, but state court is more open. There, judicial decisions approving same-sex marriage or even state laws barring discrimination can be used to pronounce any opposing moral or religious doctrine to be "contrary to public policy." So declared, it would be short work for a state attorney general's opinion to deny the tax-exempt status of charities and most orthodox Jewish, Christian and Islamic religious bodies. If enough state lawyers do this, expect the IRS to chime in. Punishing religious organizations for their moral beliefs might be thought contrary to the protections of the Constitution. Unfortunately, the Boy Scouts have had little success defending these bedrock precepts. Penalizing the Scouts for observing their own handbook, say lower courts, merely avoids the immediate harm of discrimination, even as the bald-faced assertion that moral belief is a "harm" is anomalous. For the moment, same-sex marriage is confined to a single state, but litigation is ongoing in 10 states from New York to California. Three years ago, the Supreme Court came close to endorsing gay and lesbian marriage when it declared that morality alone was no basis for lawmaking. The court is under new management and is acting more restrained. But the political lobbying and litigating are unrelenting, and the targeting of the Scouts reveals that same-sex success can come by indirection. That churches can be made the collateral casualties of the same-sex marriage campaign is important to grasp. At a minimum it gives partial answer to the view of indifference that asks how gay marriage hurts anyone. When judges treat your religious community, its schools and its charities on par with the purveyors of racial hatred, it will no longer be necessary to ask. But then, it will also be too late. Many share the view, as I do, that marriage is a moral reality incapable of redefinition by court edict. Others disagree. Sending the federal marriage amendment to the states allows for an honest and civil debate, which is far better than back-door vengeance against moral dissenters -- or is it a moral majority?

Utah Scouts preparing to push summer safety http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635212541,00.html http://tinyurl.com/kcvon Deseret Morning News, Saturday, June 03, 2006 By Pat Reavy and Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News In the wake of high-profile outdoor tragedies in recent years, the Great Salt Lake Council of the Boy Scouts of America is revising its rules to help keep Scouts safe this summer, and one Utah mom has developed an outdoors safety pack for children. The organization has made sweeping changes to many of its camping policies, including new safety measures for hikes, precautions against lighting strikes and new guidelines for campfires. "We now have in place tracking devices that can be checked out," said local BSA director of camping Matt Monroe. The state has about four dozen of the tracking devices available for any Scout troop to check out. The devices can be worn around a Scout's neck or like a wristband. "The Scoutmaster has a device that can pinpoint where the boy is," Monroe said. The tracking devices are similar to what people in the sport of falconry use to keep track of their birds. Although they are not required, Monroe said he hopes they are used especially by troops planning hikes in the High Uintas. "It's an added layer of security," he said. Other safety measures include a national BSA program, "Trek Safely," aimed at training local Scout leaders and their troops about how to be safe during outdoor outings. The 40- minute training emphasizes seven points: Qualified supervision; Keep fit; Plan ahead; Gear up; Communicate clearly and completely; Monitor conditions; Discipline. In addition, the council has made a "Lost Youth Prevention" card that is printed on card stock and given to Scouts to carry in their pockets when they go hiking. The card emphasizes safety measures such as using the buddy system and offers safety advice if a Scout becomes lost: Don't move, stay calm, use a whistle from the Scout's pack, drink water and stay dry. A special "Keeping Safe in the Outdoors" training packet was also developed locally for Cub Scouts, boys between the ages of 7 and 10. Lost Boy Scouts have made big headlines in Utah in recent years. Bountiful resident Brennan Hawkins, 11, was lost for four days last year in the East Fork area near the Bear River Boy Scouts Reservation in the Uinta Mountains before being found alive. Zachary Jones, 14, Ogden, was lost for 19 hours in the Green River Lakes area of Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest after leaving a main trail and getting lost on his way back to camp last year. And Garrett Bardsley, 12, disappeared while camping with a church group in the High Uintas in 2004. His body has not been found. Other tragedies include the death of 15-year-old Boy Scout Paul Ostler, who was struck by lightning at Camp Steiner in the High Uintas. A device has been installed at Camp Steiner that is able to give advance warning to possible lightning strikes. The Boy Scouts are also facing a $14 million lawsuit for the cost of fighting a 14,000-acre fire in the Uintas in 2002. The lawsuit alleges Scouts started the fire. In April, the Great Salt Lake Council adopted a new fire policy for 2006. The rules require fires to be supervised by an adult at least 21 years old and to be built inside metal fire-bowl containers at least 18 inches high. All flammable materials must be kept 4 to 6 feet away from the fire. The tragedies of missing children in the outdoors prompted a Cottonwood Heights mom to create a new "safety pack" designed to give children some wilderness survival skills. "I was like so many Utahns, just emotionally involved with the entire experience with Brennan," Robyn Frampton told the Deseret Morning News. "If they are going to go out there, I want to make sure they have some ability to keep themselves alive or help themselves be rescued." Looking for backpacks and bags for children, Frampton said she didn't find anything useful for a child. So she created the Tyke Hike Safety Pack, which looks like a fanny pack but features hidden pockets for survival gear. Early prototypes failed because small children would take the equipment out of a backpack or a bag. "We just built a bag for my boys. The problem is little kids are little kids, and if they see it they're going to pull it out and crack the glow sticks," she said. "We designed it with hidden compartments. Kind of out of sight out of mind; the tabs are color coded in red so they know that red is the color of emergency." She believes the hidden pockets will keep the glow sticks, poncho, thermal blanket, whistle, mirror, compass and perimeter markers safe from tampering until the time they are needed. "It also comes with an instruction manual that's illustrated to show cause and effect," she said. Since creating the Tyke Hike Safety Pack in April, Frampton said they have sold more than 500 at $14.95 each. She pitched them at a recent Scout-O-Rama and is in talks to sell them on the QVC cable shopping channel. "No matter where they go, they have the essentials to keep them alive and assist in their own rescue," Frampton said. --------------------------------------------------------------------- E-mail: preavy@desnews.com; bwinslow@desnews.com

Fresh Idea: Survival Kits For Kids http://kutv.com/freshidea/local_story_143180939.html May 23, 2006 4:07 pm US/Mountain The summer is here and you may have a lot of outdoor activities planned. But before you send family members out in to the wilderness, Michelle King shows us what every parent should equip their child with. In case of any emergency being prepared for the worst may save your life or the life of someone you love. Last summer 11-year-old Brennan Hawkins went missing for four nights, but was found alive. Just one year prior to Brennan, 12-year-old Garrett Bardsley also went missing during a scout trip but was never found. As mothers we really felt compelled to do something, said Robyn Frampton. Frampton is a mother and also the co-founder of tyke hike. After watching scouts go missing she wanted to prepare her own children when they enjoy the outdoors. We needed something that will adequately prepare every kid that goes into the outdoors and provide them with tools that they need in order to survive should they get lost, Frampton said. So Frampton invented the Tyke Hike Safety Belt. It fits like a fanny pack and is equipped with basic survival tools like a thermal blanket, whistle, rain poncho, signaling mirror, perimeter markers, compass and a glow stick. The pictured instruction manual helps the child understand which tool to use for any given situation. Parents feel a sense of security when children are prepared but it also helps the child feel safe. At least for my daughter she was a little scared when we talked about her getting lost, but then we looked through the booklet with her and talked about the what if situations and this is what you would do and it made her feel a lot more secure, said concerned mother, Michelle Lundgren. The packs can also be used for adults. They're putting them in 72 hour kits. We have them in the trunks of our cars in case of an emergency. Anyone going into the outdoors or going on family vacation, Frampton said. These survival packs will run you about $15. For more information visit http://www.tykehike.com

Boy Scouts of America Kicks off Summer with Observation of National Safety Month, Shares Safety Tips http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060601006109 http://tinyurl.com/g54ot Nation's Largest Youth Organization Offers Guidelines for Ensuring a Safe Summer June 01, 2006 08:55 PM US Eastern Timezone IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 1, 2006--According to Safe Kids Worldwide, 40 percent of all unintentional injury-related deaths occur from May to August--a time emergency room doctors know as "trauma season"(1). In response to this critical period, and in observation of National Safety Month, the Boy Scouts of America offers 16 summer safety tips, which can be used to help ensure a safer summer. During the summer months while children are on vacation, many are often left unsupervised, contributing to the millions of emergency room visits and thousands of accidental deaths. Adopting proper safety measures and following simple guidelines can help youth and parents alike in preventing these unfortunate events. The BSA encourages Americans to use its safety tips--rules that are normally employed during Scouting activities, but that are applicable to all activities--for a safer summer. "Safety is a priority for every Scout during any Scout activity," said Bill Steele, director, Health & Safety, BSA. "But the best Scouts employ these lessons in their own lives, and the BSA wants to continue to stress safety first in all activities. While summer is a time for fun, it's also a time to be aware of safety; the BSA's 16 safety points can be used with great success in all activities." The BSA's 16 summer safety tips are: -- Qualified Supervision--Every activity should be supervised by an adult who is prepared to supervise and engage in the activity. -- Physical Fitness--No one--neither youth nor adults--should participate in activities for which they are unfit. Keeping healthy and fit will allow youth to enjoy summer activities safely for years to come. -- Buddy System--The long history of the buddy system in Scouting has shown that it is always best to have at least one other person with you and aware at all times of your circumstances and what you are doing in any outdoor or strenuous activity. -- Safe Area or Course--Know the area or course for the activity and determine if it is well-suited and free of hazards prior to beginning. -- Equipment Selection and Maintenance--Many activities require specialized equipment. The equipment should be selected to suit the participants and the activity and to include appropriate safety and program features. An adult should check equipment periodically to determine whether it is in good condition for the activity and ensure it is kept properly maintained for future use. -- Personal Safety Equipment--An adult must ensure that every participant has and uses the appropriate personal safety equipment. -- Safety Procedures and Policies--For most activities, common-sense procedures and standards can greatly reduce any risk. Adults should make sure participants know safety procedures and comply. -- Skill Level Limits--Every activity has a minimum skill level, and an adult supervisor should make sure that participants are not put at risk by attempting any activity beyond their abilities. -- Weather Check--The risks of many outdoor activities vary substantially with weather conditions. Check the weather beforehand and be aware of any possibly dangerous conditions. If it is not safe, reschedule the activity or participate in an indoor activity. -- Planning--Good planning minimizes risks and also anticipates contingencies that may require an emergency response or a change of plan. Plan ahead for safety and fun. -- Communication--Adult supervisors should communicate effectively with participants as needed during the activity. Emergency communications also need to be considered in advance. -- Permits and Notice--Appropriate notification should be given to parents, enforcement authorities, landowners, and others as needed, before and after activities. Youth should inform parents of activity and get permission before participating. -- First Aid--Some activities might require first aid either because of injury or as a precaution. Always consider this before starting any activity and make sure youth know where to go for help. -- Applicable Laws--Laws are there for everyone's safety. They should be followed at all times. -- CPR Resource--Any strenuous activity could present a cardiac emergency. An adult supervisor trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an excellent resource during outdoor or out-of-the-way activities. Youth are encouraged to learn CPR as well, and should know where to go for help at all times. -- Discipline--Activities can be fun for all participants if rules are followed and adult supervision obeyed. Youth should respect adult counterparts and follow their directions for their own safety. Boy Scout councils throughout the nation use these safety guidelines year-round for activities ranging from campouts to troop meetings to wilderness hikes. Councils will highlight these and other safety programs throughout the month of June in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of safety. For more information about Boy Scout council activities in your area, please visit http://www.scouting.org'>http://www.scouting.org and click on the "local councils" link in the first paragraph. Serving nearly 4.5 million young people between 7 and 20 years of age with more than 300 councils throughout the United States and its territories, the Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. For more information on the BSA, please visit http://www.scouting.org (1) Safe Kids Worldwide, http://www.safekids.org

Looks like I was mistaken about the status of the leader training award medals; from Mike Walton's uniforming page:Some local Councils have also informed their volunteers INCORRECTLY that "the BSA is no longer issuing out medals and plaques and the only thing they are giving out is the square knot and the certificate". This is UNTRUE, says the BSA's Council Support Division's Director. If your Council has stated something like this, the BSA's Council Support Division would like to know; they have estimated that there is ONE Scouters' Training Award medal in storage for EVERY REGISTERED VOLUNTEER SCOUTER and there are similar stockpiles of those other award medals and plaques. All the Council has to do is pay for it. Some Councils may have you to pay for your own award, which may be "tacky" but it is one way of the Council cutting costs. The address for the BSA's Council Support Division is: Council Support Division, SUM 108 National Office, Boy Scouts of America 1325 West Walnut Hill Lane Irving, Texas 75061-2079 http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/knoindex.htmOut of curiosity, has anyone on this forum been awarded a training medal in the last few years? My oldest knot (TDL) is from 2001 and I've earned several since, but never was I awarded a medal with any of them. I've been in two councils in that time; I've seen many training awards presented, but never with a medal, in either Council.

Its true that these issues don't have an impact on the majority of a den's day to day operations, but even dens can be impacted. I was with my son's Wolf den selling popcorn in front of a grocery store shortly after the Dale decision, and one of my boys (not my own son) asked a shopper if he'd like to buy some popcorn. Rather than a simple "no thanks", the guy launches into the kid about not wanting to support some "Nazi" organization. More recently of course, all of the local Packs sponsored by schools had to find new sponsorship and in some cases, that meant new meeting places for dens. So while its true that one can carry out a den program and remain blissfully ignorant of the issues surrounding BSA, I think its important that even den leaders be aware of what's going on, if for no other reason than parents will read about these things in the papers and ask questions. "Be prepared" and all that . . .

The blue Cub shirts come in different sizes; the smaller shirts come with smaller pockets, and since Tigers are generally smaller than Webelos, their pockets will be smaller. The rank patches however don't come in smaller sizes. Adult leader shirts have the same issue. Larger male shirts allow three "knots" to be worn across the top of the left pocket, but smaller female shirts, with smaller pockets, have room for slightly more than two, again, because the "knots" don't come in various sizes. Fit the patches as best you can and don't worry about it.

I could be mistaken, but I thought the medals were discountinued several years ago?

Hunt, the Wicca episode was unfortunate, but to those who continually hold it up as an example of BSA anti-Christian discrimination, I would remind them (as you did), it was unit level decision that was reversed by the CO and IH. The expulsion was not in accordance with BSA policy. But like the retraction on the back page after an erroneous front-page article, people want to ignore that and focus on the expulsion.

acco40 writes:Most of the "talk radio" folks are more in the entertainment business and not that interested in a real debate of the issues (Limbaugh, Hannity, Frankin, O'Reilly). They smear, ridicule, and use hyperbole with the best of them. Perhaps many of our posters are emulating what they see and hear? After all, if it made good bucks and brought them fame it must be okay.I almost never watch or listen to those guys. On the other hand, I listen to NPR every day driving to and from work.I find the liberal slant of NPR far more entertaining than the conservative commentators you listed. As a recent example, NPR couldn't wait to get Al Gore on its show so they could fawn all over him about hsi movie. A week ago, they had a full show between teh host and two of their in-house reporters, again singing the praises of Gore's movie.I'm not holding my breath waiting for an opposing view, but I guarantee you, if they do host an opposing view, they certainly won't toss that person the softballs that Terri Gross tossed Al Gore's way.

http://www.startribune.com/562/story/457984.html

Ed, it may be another hard-fought win for BSA, but you and I both know its not over. BSA-haters will find other ways to attack the organization (or attack those who either support BSA or fail to toe the line in attacking the BSA). It doesn't matter how many lawsuits BSA wins, the anti-BSA forces will keep coming back until they get what they want, which is to bend BSA to its will.

Supreme Court rejects appeal in Boy Scout case http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13047756/ Atheist father asked court to bar recruiting in public schools The Associated Press Updated: 10:45 a.m. CT May 30, 2006 WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court rejected an appeal Tuesday from an atheist father over Boy Scout recruiting at his sons public school. John Scalise had asked the court to bar public schools from opening their doors to Boy Scout recruiters and promoting membership, arguing that the group discriminates against nonreligious boys and parents by denying them membership if they dont swear to religious oaths. Scalises dispute with the Scouts dates back to 1998, when his son was a third-grader in Mount Pleasant, Mich. He claims he and his son were barred from a Scout program at the elementary school because they would not pledge to do my duty to God and my country. They are nonreligious Humanists. Michigan courts ruled that the school-Scout partnership did not advance religion in violation of constitutional dictates. Attorneys for the Scouts and Mount Pleasant school system told justices that the appeal was frivolous. A Michigan appeals court said that Mount Pleasant schools allowed other organizations to use class facilities, including a hospital group, an Indian tribe, a Baptist church, and a hockey association. Scalise argued that his son, Benjamin, was taunted by classmates and humiliated by a Boy Scout recruiter in front of other students. Benjamin Scalise is now 17. The Supreme Courts last Boy Scout case was in 2000. Justices ruled 5-4 at the time that the Boy Scouts can bar gays from serving as troop leaders. The ruling was written by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who died last year. Scalises attorney, Timothy Taylor of Mount Pleasant, said taxpayer-funded schools are too cozy with the Boy Scouts. Its going on all over the country and has been for decades, he said. The case is Scalise v. Boy Scouts of America, 05-1260.

I can't presume to answer for BSA. But I can tell you I posted this announcement in "Issues & Politics" rather than "Open Discussion -- Program" because someone is bound to take issue with something. My motives for posting will be questioned, or BSA's motives for generating the slideshow will be questioned -- but rest assured, someone, somewhere will take issue with it. That's why I posted here, and I suspect, that may be why BSA posted the link where they did.

BSA's Tribute to the Military On its "Boy Scouts Legal Issues" webpage, BSA posts a link to its "Tribute to the Military": http://www.bsalegal.org/downloads/bsa_military_tribute.swf

I've also looked for a rationale as to why Sec. Rumsfeld received the Silver Beaver and haven't found anything. Until someone can find it and post it, everything else is speculation.

campcrafter (and others), you ask a fair question, and you deserve an answer. First of all, while its true that I post here "bacause I can", there's more to it than that. Its worth remembering that I post potentially controversial issues in the "Issues and Politics" folder, and that those who aren't interested in discussing those issues certainly don't have to -- nobody is forced to read anything I post. In fact, if anyone finds what I post noxious enough, they can set me to "ignore" then set my threads to "Squelch". But more to the point, I think its worth seeing how the media covers BSA and to see how others view BSA. Last sumemr, I posted several articles that were "anti-BSA", to put it mildly, and I was roundly criticized for that. I've also posted many articles that are pro-BSA, and I've been questioned about that. So, while my postings are not exactly 50-50, I think it can be fairly said that I do post articles on both sides. As to why I post without comment, I've also answered that before, but you may not have seen my response. That's a common complaint I get, but my response is simple: I prefer that people engage the articles on the merits of the articles. If I post commentary, people want to debate me, or show me why I'm either right or wrong. I'd much rather people focus on the merits of the article and debate the article, rather than my position on any particular article. I apologize if I've done anything to cause you or anyone else distress.

Get Moving!: Fit Kids http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/health/stories/MYSA052206.1P.fitkids.1c6e96c.html http://tinyurl.com/kdmuy Develop a strategy for steering your kids into healthy habits this summer Web Posted: 05/22/2006 12:00 AM CDT Paula Hunt Express-News Staff Writer Summer vacation used to mean long days for playing in the backyard, goofing off with your friends, riding your bike to the corner store and looking for the best swimming hole. Livin' as the song goes certainly was easy. For too many of today's kids, however, the livin' is too easy. Summertime has turned into a stretch on the calendar reserved for watching television, playing video games, IM'ing and other sedentary activities. But it could also be the perfect time for you to introduce your children to fitness, says Dr. Dianna Burns-Banks, a pediatrician and president of the Bexar County Medical Society. "Exercise is a way of life that children need to learn," says Burns-Banks. "(It) needs to be a part of the way you think of your health as a whole. In the summertime, you have the freedom to encourage (kids) to be active." Unfortunately, we aren't doing a very good job of it. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 14 percent of young people are not active, and nearly half of youths ages 12 to 21 aren't active on a regular basis. The benefits of physical activity for young people are similar to those for adults: helping build strong muscles and bones, reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases, stroke and some cancers. It is also an integral component of maintaining a healthy weight something else the young people of America are struggling with. Government figures show the obesity rate for children ages 2 to 5 and 12 to 19 has more than doubled over the past 30 years. For those 6 to 11, it has more than tripled. Studies have shown that children who were overweight or obese at age 11 are likely to remain overweight or obese through adolescence, increasing their risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis and high cholesterol. When it comes to helping your child choose a plan to beat summertime sloth, consider what activities he or she likes or has shown an interest in, his or her fitness level and things the family can do together. For example, children who dislike sports shouldn't be pushed into competitive activities. An overweight child might not like swimming lessons if it means having to wear a bathing suit. But even if your child already competes in sports or isn't overweight, this doesn't mean he or she is getting enough exercise. "Even though these young people are competing on one team after another, season after season, they're practicing maybe once or twice a week and having a game on Saturdays," says Dr. Jorge Gomez, associate professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center. "It sounds like a lot but it probably isn't a lot when you compare it to how active kids used to be." A large part of the reason why children aren't participating in activities that used to be considered a natural part of growing up like going for a walk, skateboarding, dancing is staring us (and them) right in the face. "One of the most important recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics is limiting TV to two hours a day," says Gomez, who adds that, if you make children less sedentary, they tend to become more active. Experts say kids should get 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity five to seven days a week. If you're seeking an organized fitness program for your child, consider your local gym; many of them offer summer camps and classes in fitness, sports-specific training and games. You don't even need to be a member to enroll your child at some of them. For those kids who enjoy sports, consider athletic performance camps that focus on increasing speed, strength and agility. "Most of those camps are really well-supervised and a lot of thought has been put into developing an age-appropriate program for kids," says Gomez. "It's a safe thing, it can be motivating for kids. It's generally a good idea if their parents can afford it." However, Gomez adds, there is an important caveat. "Parents shouldn't ever rely solely on programmed activity, whether that's a summer athletics camp or a YMCA soccer game, to fulfill their child's need for physical activity. If they're doing those things, that's great, but it's not enough." Burns-Banks suggests establishing new family rituals that promote physical activity, like going for a walk together in the evening, as well as rethinking your family's relationship with food. "Family activities shouldn't just be focused on the picnic; maybe include a softball game or swimming" says Burns-Banks. "It's very difficult when food becomes the focus as a reward. It'd be nice to have the focus become some kind of activity as a reward. Instead of saying, 'If you're real good we'll go to McDonald's,' say 'If you're real good we'll go to the park and throw some balls or a Frisbee.'" While the world is quite different than it was 20 or 30 years ago, when it comes to kids Gomez says that some things haven't changed "I think a lot of adults would be surprised at what children find fun jump rope, playing tag, throwing or kicking a ball around," he says. "Being active, being outside, enjoying moving around. That's what we're striving for." -------------------------------------------------------------------- phunt@express-news.net