When our son was in eighth grade he insisted on having a pair of Smurf blue athletic shoes he was certain would propel him to greatness on the basketball court. No amount of reasoning or rationale on the part of his parents would dissuade him from the certainty that these very shoes would make all the difference in his career as a stellar athlete. Of course, the shoes were about twice as costly as "normal" shoes, but he was not to be deterred. Using a modest contribution from his parents and considerable financial subsidy of his own, he purchased the shoes and went on to . . . a very mediocre year on the basketball court. He did, however, attract attention as the only player on the team with bright blue shoes—not exactly the outcome he had envisioned.

Most of us can remember a similar event in our adolescence when all our hopes and dreams for fame and acceptance were pinned on an item of apparel, a sporting good of some sort, a vehicle, or another object of significance at the time. Today we laugh at our foolishness, recognizing that the contribution of such items to positive outcomes is miniscule at best. We know that it's the day-to-day struggle, a rigorous practice schedule, and disciplined behavior that have the greatest bearing on an individual's overall success. The non-glamorous aspects of the sport are what count most.

Family Health and Wellness

A lot is written these days about helping kids develop healthy lifestyles. We focus on diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, regular doctor visits, immunizations, and reducing germs and bacteria. These are all good and important things, but they are inadequate in and of themselves. Without a strong and stable foundation in the home based on healthy relationships, especially between mom and dad, children suffer. In the pursuit of health and wellness for our children, we often forget that a healthy diet and regular exercise will not make up for the tension and strife between mom and dad. If we want to help children, we need to give much attention to helping the adults who are raising those children keep their relationships in good condition, enabling them to provide a safe, stable and happy home for their children.

Centers for Disease Control Emphasizes Role of Family Structure to Child Health

A December 2010 report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics on Family Structure and Children's Health, cites numerous examples of how children being raised in nuclear families, i.e., by their married, biological or adoptive parents are healthier on nearly every measure than children being reared in any other arrangement. The report reveals how children being reared in any other arrangement worry more, have more behavioral problems, experience more infections, miss more school, see a doctor less often – in short, have poorer health than those being raised by their married or adoptive parents.

See more at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_246.pdf

This report (Series 10, No. 246) is focused on examining the relationship between the health of children in the U.S. today and their family structure. Family Structure and Children's Health in the U.S. seeks to answer how different living arrangements impact a child's health. The report is lengthy, but you don't have to read the whole thing to find answers. Check out the graphs and read the text on the first 30 or so pages and you'll get the general picture.

The findings above strongly support the notion that healthy homes with healthy relationships (i.e. healthy marriage) means healthier outcomes for children. If we want to help kids thrive in 2011, this needs to have a high priority.