Are 'helicopter parents' to blame for Canada's sedentary kids?

A report card is givinga failing gradewhen it comes to thephysical activity of Canadian children and teens.

ParticipActionsaid it arrived at the grade of D- after a national study it conductedfound only nineper cent of children meet the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines of 60 minutes of activity per day.

The organization found that70 per centof children between the ages of threeto four get the recommended 180 minutes of daily activity at any intensity.

'Helicopter parenting' not helping

According to the ParticipActionreport,excessive adult supervision is to blame; kidsare getting stuck indoors as parents fear for their safety.

"Kids want to learn how to play, they want to play, want to be active," said Mike McDonald, an expert when it comes to teaching kids how to play outdoors and on their own.

"But right now they are so used to having an adult around that when they're out there, by themselves, they're kind of like a deer in the headlights," headded.

Trust your kids. Trust that what you have taught them is going to work.- Mike McDonald, Blue Cross Recess Guardians

McDonald runs Blue Cross Recess Guardians, and explained thattechnology has changed the way kids play. Instead of going outside to play and come back home for supper, parents will sit their children in front of a screen until it is time to eat.

"Trust your kids. Trust that what you have taught them is going to work," he said. "Trust that they are going to make the right decisions.

"I think that is a big thing do we trust our kids? We should trust them a lot more."

McDonald said children learn responsibility, how to be social andhow to deal with conflictfrom playing with their peers.