By Paul S. Gardiner

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a stay-at-home requirement for millions of American children. As a result, most of the nation’s children are immersed in electronic gadgetry of one kind or another, either for schoolwork, video games, and/or various social-media programs.

Many children as young as three years old are exposed to and sometimes play electronic video games where violence and other harmful actions are present and often encouraged to win the game. Such activities do not encourage the development of positive character traits that parents and society as a whole desire in children, traits such as compassion, patience, kindness, humility, self-control, gentleness, honesty, and integrity.

Educators and psychologists generally agree that the most effective way to teach and develop the above character traits in boys and girls is through the daily actions of a loving adult role model who regularly demonstrates these traits. Hence, it is especially important for mothers and fathers to understand and fully appreciate their very important responsibility to teach and demonstrate positive character traits to their children. Thankfully, most loving and responsible parents willingly accept this duty, but there are numerous examples of children who do not benefit from such role models.

Educators and psychologists also generally agree that boys usually learn best through activity-based training. Thus, if the objective is to foster and ingrain positive character traits into the lives of boys, it is useful to identify opportunities where boys (and girls) can receive instruction and “activity-based training” that reinforces the desired character traits. Athletics often can serve as an effective medium for positive socialization and an opportunity to teach and demonstrate highly desired character traits to children.

An example of an innovative, activity-based, character-building program primarily designed for elementary-age children is GamePoint Athletics, LLC, founded in 2017 (www.GamePointAthletics.com). Since its inception, GamePoint has provided unique athletic and character-building activities to over 700 boys and girls in Northern Virginia through after-school programs in over 20 public and private schools and 10 one-week summer camps.

The central mission of GamePoint is to provide a unique combination of top-notch athletic instruction and training coupled with a strong emphasis on character building. Character traits and behavior emphasized by GamePoint include perseverance, courage, integrity, joy, humility, gratitude, self-control, patience, respect, responsibility, and kindness.

Participants in GamePoint activities learn and discuss what positive character traits mean and how they can be practically applied in their everyday lives. Instruction is accomplished through a combination of short, five-minute presentations in small groups of five to eight children coupled with practical application demonstrations during a game or athletic drill.

For instance, after discussing patience and self-control and their importance, a coach could demonstrate these traits by having participants wait turns at a basketball foul line to attempt a foul shot. During this demonstration, the coach would explain that by waiting their turn without complaining to make a shot, the children demonstrate laudatory patience and self-control.

Since its inception, GamePoint founders have developed special curriculum for over 15 different positive character traits for their specially trained coaches to use during the five-minute discussion periods. The curriculum includes practical athletic exercises to demonstrate each character trait. The goal of the curriculum and GamePoint overall is for children to learn what each character trait means, its value, and how every trait can be practically applied not only during athletic games and drills but also in everyday life.

In conclusion, innovative, activity-based, character-building activities such as the programs offered by GamePoint Athletics can be instrumental in helping to mold young children into loving, responsible adults who exhibit highly desired character traits throughout their lives. America needs more of these programs to counteract, among other things, the abundance of screen time many children experience. Finally, GamePoint Athletics offers highly structured, fun activities and games that contribute to a child’s social interaction in a positive, constructive manner.

Paul S. Gardiner is a retired Army officer, ardent supporter of character development initiatives in young children, and part-time marketing assistant for GamePoint Athletics headquartered in Leesburg, Virginia.