Chapter 4 Growing Through Leisure The relationship between leisure and age is based on continuity and change About 50 of our activities are carried over from childhood into adulthood In the core balanced model core represents continuity in leisure Core Plus Balance Model o Core continuity o What we do today is based on what we did yesterday and 5 years ago o Interests that occupy people most of their lives o Accessible and low cost activities o Balance change Variety of pastimes Some may be part of our leisure repertoire for a short period of time Includes what we add to our life when we want to get some variety A person s leisure repertoire reaches a peak during early adulthood and then begins to decline Our desire for familiar forms of leisure is greatest in infancy and old age Timeline Childhood and Play o Serious business and work of childhood o Play is their educational area o A lot happens on the playground o What kids learn during play Physical and social skills Context to learn rules its your turn Learn gendered roles Recognized by age 3 Adolescence o To grow up o Rapid physical changes o Changes can cause social and psychological awkwardness o Leisure as a mean of coping o Activity interests Physical capabilities and energy in high risk activities develops o Leisure as a means to develop autonomy Autonomy independence from others in thoughts and actions ability to self govern Develops through social groups Groups move from neighborhood groups to organized groups with membership o Intellectual well being Adult life stages o Adult life is a series of connected stages o The exact age we go through the stages varies but most of us do go through them o If we follow the traditional pattern of working marrying and having a family o For those who don t life stages are slightly different o Stages Middle Adulthood Early Establishment Period Later Life o According to the text some research has demonstrated that friends are more important than family to life satisfaction in old age True Why Sometimes family move away lose interest put you in a home or die before you while friends may still be around o Progression through early establishment period 20 40 Physical capabilities and energy at peak Seek wide assortment of activities Enjoy freedom Personal identity still forming which career path Finding a mate can be a priority although single life is more accepted today Transition into adulthood Being a couple changes one s leisure Having a child drastically changes leisure lifestyle Being childless is more common but not the norm Social activities often become home and neighborhood focused As children become involved in organized programs this may become parent s leisure as well Career development Hard to find a good balance Maintenance exercise because they start to look older Participating in high risk and strenuous activities often stops or decline because too much responsibility o Progression through Middle Adulthood 40 65 Deadline decade or midlife crisis Realization of own mortality Limited time to find meaning in life Evaluate career and friendships Regret spending time on work and not family or leisure Time is going quickly Satisfying leisure activities can be important during this period Children more independent empty nest Couples renew their relationships Leisure pursuits shift from family to individual and friends o Progression through Older Adulthood over 65 Critical to overall happiness Defying stereotypes Transitions Focus on relationships Community organizations more civic minded Parents grandparents Work retirement Marriage widowhood Relocation Can signify opportunity to pursue long held dreams Or can lead to feelings of uselessness Leisure awareness typically part of retirement preparation seminars NY Times Article Successful Aging o Mental Health reducing dementia important to introduce new mental challenges and not continue to do the same activities Use it or lose it Brain requires stress to maintain or enhance its strength Cognitively stimulating leisure activities critical o Physical Health o Social Health Exercise helps improve blood flow to the brain Even those who start exercising in their 60s cut their risk of dementia in half Participation in active leisure can add up to 10 quality years to ones life Continued social interactions important Productive and stimulating activities pursued with other people Retirement and Leisure Behaviors o Study of retirement behaviors o Reducers participated in the same or in fewer at the same or a lower frequency o Concentrators participated in the same or fewer at a higher frequency o Diffusers participated in a larger number but at the same or lower frequency o Expanders participated in a larger number and at a higher frequency Expanders and concentrators experienced higher satisfaction Summary o Leisure plays different roles in life s various stages o Consistent theme having leisure activities we enjoy is very important