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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What’s the question? One of my kids is very gifted, and in elementary school, we don’t need to do anything extra. They read on their own, are adequately challenged in the gifted program, and take art classes. I don’t have to intervene much. However, I do push sports because I want them to be fit for life.  They have gravitated towards sports that require less running, like golf and tennis, which is fine.[/quote]

Pushing sports does not necessarily lead to fit for life.  Not playing sports has nothing to do with who is active as an adult.

Is there a difference between gifted and Very gifted?[/quote]

Playing sports doesn’t guarantee fitness for life, but it is self reinforcing. Competency and fitness in one skill leads to self confidence and ability to try another. Avoiding sports and activities lead to further avoidance. 
That said, let them try a lot of different activities. It’s true that pushy parents lead to kids with problems.[/quote]

Thanks to parents, especially GenX and boomers, children's sports have become all about money.  Kids actually have to try out for teams at very young ages instead of just signing up.   When previous generations were just starting these kids now are quitting in droves.

Before parents got overly involved kids would get together on to play games.  A football was all that was needed to play their own version of the game.  Basketball hoops were everywhere.  As soon as the ice froze kids were there with their hockey pucks and sticks.

In middle school structured sports started, high school had try outs, top players were recruited and went on to play in college and professional.  Today not too many kids get to be leaders and form teams to play in the park.   There is always an adult there.  It becomes drudgery and 70-80% quit sports by 12 or 13 years old.

Kids under 9 years old can get plenty of exercise with friends and family.  Playgrounds are made for exercise.   Families can bike ride to a field or park with a ball.  Swimming, running around.  Exercise is easy that young.  In middle school it gets tougher to keep kids active and unfortunately that’s the time when the great majority of them quit organized sports.  Burnt out at 12 years old.   This organized sports at such a young age has been a massive failure.  
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