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Culture Watch
Isolation and Sedentariness of Brazils Metropolitan Children:
Christian Communities
Connecting Families to Physical Activities Outdoors
By
David Dawson
Fuller Theological Seminary
MP520 Transforming Contemporary Culture Dr. Eileen Suico
Winter 2014
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Table of Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................3
Article
1.............................................................................................................................4
Article 2 &
3......................................................................................................................5
Article
4.............................................................................................................................7
Article
5.............................................................................................................................8
Article
6.............................................................................................................................9
Conclusion......................................................................................................................10
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Introduction
! The purpose of this paper is to address the isolated,
sedentary, media saturated
lives of children in metropolitan centers of Brazil. The current
situation causes these
children serious physical and psychological problems. Brazilian
children watch an
average of 5 hours of television per day1. Children need a
minimum of 90 minutes of
physical activity per day, far more than most get in Brazil2.
The most recent national
census showed 160 million living in urban centers compared to
only 30 million rural
dwellers3. This means that the situation in the large cities of
Brazil is the condition of
the majority of Brazilians. My wife, three children and I life
in the southern state of
Paran where 83% of children age 0 to 19 reside in metropolitan
areas4. We live in the
capital city of Curitiba, population 3.5 million, which is only
the eighth largest of fifty
major cities in the country.
! My motivation for researching this topic comes from my own
challenges as a
father in metropolitan Brazil. The responsibility to provide
children with opportunities for
physical play falls primarily upon parents. In my own experience
as a parent there are
three primary factors to providing the physical outdoor play
children need: time, context
and activity. Contemporary articles demonstrate that the
lifestyle of families in the
3
1 Pereira, Lais Fontenelle, Que Infncia Estamos Construindo,
http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/opiniao/fz1210200709.htm2 Moya,
Patrcia et al., Falta de Atividade Fsicas Compromete
Desenvolvimento Infantil,
http://www.metodista.br/rronline/noticias/saude/pasta-3/falta-de-atividades-fisicas-!
compromete-desenvolvimento-infantil3 IBGE, Charactersticas da
Populao,
http://7a12.ibge.gov.br/vamos-conhecer-o-brasil/nosso-povo/caracteristicas-da-populacao4
Infncia, adolescncia e direitos : livro de dados do Paran /
RedeMarista de Solidariedade. Curitiba : Champagnat, 2013,
http://www.crianca.mppr.mp.br/arquivos/File/publi/marista/livro_de_dados_do_parana_2013.pdf
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metropolitan centers of Brazil lacks the time, physical location
and options of activities
needed to combat the problem of child sedentariness and social
isolation.
! !
Article 1
Simes de Oliveira, Cludia, Falta de espaos pblicos influencia
desenvolvimento da criana (The Influence of the Lack of Public
Space on the Development of Children), Aprendiz, January 21, 2003,
http://www2.uol.com.br/aprendiz/n_noticias/academia/id210103.htm
(Accessed on February 24, 2014)
Synopsis:
! In this article a Brazilian architect and urbanist analyzes
children's use of public
spaces in metropolitan areas. The majority of these children are
living segregated lives
within the confines of apartment buildings. The outside world is
experienced mostly in
impersonal commercial locations which do not encourage social
interaction. The one
context where children do interact with others is at school.
However, for the most part
school is a organized and regimented environment in which
children still feel confined.
Children who live within a fixed trajectory between apartment,
school and shopping mall
lack opportunities to learn to comprehend the lifestyles of
others. Ironically poorer
children in public schools testified to enjoying more liberty of
space than those attending
private schools. The first group complained more about violence
while the second
complained more about isolation and lack of freedom to play
outside. The proposed
solution of a Brazilian architect is the development of public
spaces. These must be
freely accessible by all economic categories of society and be
free of marketing
schemes and commerce.
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Missiological Analysis:
! This situation perpetuates prejudice and superficial
understanding of the differing
ethnicities, religions and socioeconomic conditions present in
contemporary urban
centers. The need for children to engage in physical outdoor
activities isnt limited to
health benefits. Evangelism will be come much more difficult if
the emerging generation
of metropolitan children doesnt learn to engage in civic life.
Christian communities
often see urban missions as pertaining primarily do dealing with
seemingly more
dramatic issues such as homelessness, prostitution, substance
abuse and violence.
Churches must also seek preventative measures against the
cauldron of urban decay.
Why not address the environment the children of our cities are
raised in, which is
socially and physically retarding, moreover corrupting. Church
projects assisting poorer
demographics in the city have a more dramatic appeal. However
the theme of this
paper affects children of all socioeconomic categories.
Article 2 & 3
Pereira, Las Fontenelle, A cidade dos carros e a das crianas
(The City of Cars and
Children), Revista Forum, February 7, 2014,
http://revistaforum.com.br/blog/2014/02/a-
cidade-dos-carros-e-a-das-criancas/http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/opiniao/
fz1210200709.htm (Accessed on February 24, 2014)
Synopsis:
! Written by a Brazilian psychologist, these two articles also
deal with the confined,
media saturated infancy of most Brazilian children. Outdoor
physical play is where
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children learn to socialize and exercise their citizenship and
autonomous will. Even
during summer vacation months most of these childrens time is
spent interacting with
digital media. Public parks need better maintenance, security
and should not be used
for privately sponsored consumer driven events aimed at
children. Both articles
advocate block party events where streets in particularly dense
urban areas can be
closed off for child-friendly space and activities.
Missiological Analysis:
! The Biblical narrative begins in a garden followed by the
height of human
rebellion in the planets first city. However in Revelation we
see that redemptions
ultimate fulfillment will be a glorious city with a garden in
the middle. With this in mind in
addition to the global trend toward urbanization5 contributing
to the flourishing of
humanity in cities should be part of the Churchs mission.
Christian communities are
called to be The light of the world. A city on a hill6. By
creating the type of events this
article recommends local churches can be an incarnation of
Christs present and future
Kingdom. By participating and collaborating with these types of
events local churches
represent the compassion or Christ for urban children living in
confinement.
6
5 As of 2010, more than half of all people live in an urban
area. By 2030, 6 out of every 10 people will live in a city (World
Health Organizaion, 2014, Global Health Observatory: Urban
Population Growth,
http://www.who.int/gho/urban_health/situation_trends/urban_population_growth_text/en/
(Accessed February 28, 2014). 6 The Holy Bible, New International
Version, 1984, International Bible Society, Mat. 5:14
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Article 4
Araujo, Carlos, Crianas Brincam Cada Vez Mais Sozinhas..., Vya
Estelar-Qualidade
de Vida na Web, http://www2.uol.com.br/vyaestelar/brincar.htm
(Accessed 02/24/2014).
Synopsis:
! The author of this article is a Brazilian psychologist
specializing in psychotherapy
of children and adolescents. This article states that changes in
childrens lifestyles have
led to exaggerated introversion. Back yards have disappeared as
apartments have
become the most common family dwelling. Older apartment
complexes provided
children with common spaces large enough for them to play with
their neighbors and
really feel like they were outdoors. But the compression of
space in contemporary cities
has caused architects to squeeze these common spaces or omit
them completely.
Children tend to play by virtual means such as video games
instead of using tangible
objects or interacting with other children. This article
proposes that, whether they are
parents or not, engaging in outdoor physical activities with
children should be seen as a
type of public service. Adults who themselves live confined
sedentary lives will
obviously benefit from this interaction as well.
Missiological Analysis:
! Christian communities as well as individual believers should
consider influencing
urban planning as a practical way to demonstrate the values of
Christs Kingdom.
Christian architects and engineers can use their professions to
serve the children of
their cities. Volunteer service programs could be developed by
local churches which
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offer adult supervision for outdoor play times at existing
spaces such as parks and city
squares.
Article 5
Moya, Patricia et al., Falta de Atividades Fsicas Compromete
Desenvolvimento
Infantil (Lack of Physical Activity Impedes Child Development),
Rudge Ramos Online,
April 14, 2008,
http://www.metodista.br/rronline/noticias/saude/pasta-3/falta-de-
atividades-fisicas-compromete-desenvolvimento-infantil
(Accessed February 25, 2014)
Synopsis:
! This article comes out the Methodist University of Sao Paulo.
Some of the
conventional wisdom on combating sedentary lifestyles in
children is challenged here.
The article singles out parents as having primary responsibility
for ensuring that their
children have daily access to physical activities. The
importance of specific types of
outdoor play space isnt emphasized here. The author states that
the ubiquitous
metropolitan squares and less numerous parks provide sufficient
space. What is
emphasized here is the importance of spontaneity and autonomous
creativity in
childrens play time. Organized sporting activities can be too
constricting and
regimented. On the other hand the article recommends having a
routine for weekly play
times. Routines for other physical activities are also
suggested, such as walking to and
from daily destinations.
Missiological Analysis:
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! The greatest contribution of this article to this papers theme
are the suggestions
regarding balancing routine and spontaneity. This seems
intuitively true from my
experience as a father. The sheer difficulty for parents to
separate time for playing
outside with their children requires a planned routine. On the
other hand, the best times
of outside play Ive witnessed have been when children are turned
loose to be creative.
Christian communities where parents demonstrate this type of
intentional investment in
their childrens well-being also demonstrate the values of
Christs Kingdom. Jesus
made time for children when others felt that His time was better
used for adult pursuits,
i.e., themselves7.
Article 6
Lima, Christiane, Tempo Para os Filhos : Qualidade ou Quantidade
? (Time With
Children: Quality or Quantity?), Elo Internet,
http://elo.com.br/portal/colunistas/ver/
220371/tempo-para-os-filhos--qualidade-ou-quantidade-.html
(Accessed February 24,
2014)
Synopsis:
! The author of this article is a Brazilian child psychologist
and social worker. The
article answers the question whether parents need to spend a
certain quantity of of time
with their children, or if the quality of that time spent is the
more important matter. It is
stated that parents generally underestimate the time investment
required for a healthy
and satisfying relationship with their children. The observation
is made that children
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7 Mat. 19:14 NIV
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themselves often have such a full schedule of activities that
they have no time to spend
with parents. If both parents have to work full time then
children are in school from 7:00
am to 7:00 pm. Children whose parents have higher earnings often
fill their schedules
with extracurricular activities. The feeling of guilt parents
feel about not spending time
with their children causes them to not give them boundaries and
discipline. Many
parents give material things instead of what is most needed:
time.
Missiological Analysis:
! If quantity of time trumps quality of time in parent-child
relationships in general,
this has implications for addressing the problems of
sedentariness and isolation.
Instead of feeling obligated to come up with elaborate outdoor
physical activities,
parents can begin with the simple goal of spending time with
their children. The
commentary on how parents tend to channel the guilt which
results from not spending
time with their children is also relevant to promoting a more
active childhood. Parents
should face their feelings of guilt and channel them towards
long-term investments in
their childrens livelihood. Substituting healthy outdoor play
times with toys and digital
entertainment is a stop-gap way to address needs which, if left
unmet, will produce
socially and physically undeveloped children.
Conclusion
! My thesis states that through social media networks Christian
communities in
Brazil can prevent the isolation and sedentariness of
metropolitan children, bless the
families of their own members and share the gospel with
non-Christian families. Using
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ubiquitous social media networks these churches can provide
parents with information
on times, locations and activities to combat the psychological,
physical, mental and
spiritual problems urban children are facing.
! This is an opportunity for local churches in Brazil - the vast
majority of which are
located in densely urban areas - to address an issue which
affects the society as a
whole. Helping families find the times, contexts and activities
for healthy outdoor play is
a way for Christian communities to demonstrate a practical
outlet for their spirituality.
! Another benefit of this approach is that its logistical
simplicity. The large Brazilian
cities vary in the amount of public space provided for children
to play in. My research
shows that governmental and private organizations are developing
innovative
approaches to meeting the need for child-friendly public spaces.
Unfortunately in
metropolitan Brazil it hasn't been a case of if you build it
they will come. I, for example,
live in Curitiba which is considered to be the cultural and
ecological capital of the
country. Curitiba has more public space for children to play
than any other large city in
Brazil. However, my experience living here over the past 12 has
been that across the
board - from wealthy families to poor - children spend most of
their time indoors
interacting with digital media.
! What's missing? I propose that families can find the solution
to isolation and
sedentariness in relationship and partnership with each other.
Today every type of
organization or endeavor uses social media networks. Local
churches in Brazil are in a
strategic position to develop a network working against the
isolation and sedentariness
of metropolitan children. I believe this is an opportunity local
churches should consider
in prayer and be open to engaging in.
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