Two of my teenagers are playing together on a co-ed soccer team for their small high school. It has been several years since they both played together on a co-ed sports team and they love it. While I was sitting on the sidelines in the sun at Saturday’s game, I was pondering all the cool things that come from co-educational activities for kids…
I know that my son and daughter are actually enjoying being able to play together on a soccer team like they did when they were quite young. They’ve had fun discussing strategy and re-living plays and experiences over after-game snacks in the kitchen. It’s given them a way to connect with each other at a time when they are starting to live very separate lives and identify with the world in completely different ways.
In addition to what the experience is doing for my two kids as siblings–being able to participate with both genders of school mates in an organized/recreational activity is a very cook things for teenagers in general. They are able to interact with peers in a setting outside the classroom, and since it is a sport, it gives them the opportunity to move beyond stereotypes and experience learning about teamwork in a mixed-gender situation. This seems to me to be a much better preparation for real life (especially the work place) than gender segregated activities. I see these kids learning to think of everyone on the team as “partners” and learning how to work with each person’s capabilities and weaknesses as a whole team. I think it is a great opportunity for teenagers to have some fun, get some exercise, and learn valuable lessons of working with all sorts of people in a team situation–regardless of athletic skill, personality, capabilities, and gender!
See Also: Can Too Much Social Activity be a Bad Thing? and Encouraging Group Activities and Dating