Recreation providers need to rethink traditional recreation programs to fit the lifestyle of today's households, which are anything but traditional, says a Utah State University professor.
Dennis Nelson, assistant professor of health, physical education and rec-reation at Utah State University, recently took over as chairman of the Family Recreation Commission of the American Association for Leisure and Recreation.Nelson said the main goal of the commission will be to educate people about the importance of recreation to the family.
"Recreation is one of the most important factors in strengthening families and allowing them to be happy and healthy," Nelson said.
"We can no longer continue to offer traditional family recreation programs to a society of nontraditional families," Nelson said.
"The makeup of the American family is extremely diverse."
For example, an increasing number of single parents have the added challenge of finding the time, money and stamina needed to get involved in leisure activities with their children.
Yet, Nelson says, parents play a substantial role in directing a child's early recreation and in maintaining that interest as the child matures. Many of the activities a child participants in carry over into adulthood.