Screen time worries top list

A new study, conducted by Yorkshire Tea, has revealed parents’ top worries when it comes to their children, with concerns about the amount of time they spend online topping the list.
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English cricketer Jonny Bairstow meets a group of children at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds for an exclusive coaching session organised by Yorkshire Tea and national childrens cricket charity, Chance to Shine. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday June 22, 2019. The event has been organised ahead of Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week (24th  28th) a week which encourages thousands of children to spend more time outside and increase participation in grassroots sport. A recent study by Yorkshire Tea found that just over half of parents regularly encourage children to take part in sport. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA WireEDITORIAL USE ONLY
English cricketer Jonny Bairstow meets a group of children at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds for an exclusive coaching session organised by Yorkshire Tea and national childrens cricket charity, Chance to Shine. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday June 22, 2019. The event has been organised ahead of Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week (24th  28th) a week which encourages thousands of children to spend more time outside and increase participation in grassroots sport. A recent study by Yorkshire Tea found that just over half of parents regularly encourage children to take part in sport. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
EDITORIAL USE ONLY English cricketer Jonny Bairstow meets a group of children at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds for an exclusive coaching session organised by Yorkshire Tea and national childrens cricket charity, Chance to Shine. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday June 22, 2019. The event has been organised ahead of Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week (24th  28th) a week which encourages thousands of children to spend more time outside and increase participation in grassroots sport. A recent study by Yorkshire Tea found that just over half of parents regularly encourage children to take part in sport. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Their concerns are supported by recent research by Ofcom, which found that children in the UK (aged 5-15) now spend around 20 minutes more online, in a typical day, than they do in front of a TV set, with online time per day estimated at 2 hours 11 minutes.

However, sport is playing a key role in helping to get children offline, with initiatives such as Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week - June 24-28 - in partnership with national children’s charity, Chance to Shine, demonstrating the positive health and wellbeing impacts of more people taking up the bat and ball.

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The study, that surveyed over 1,000 parents of children aged between 7-12, revealed other top parenting worries include: almost half worry about their child’s confidence, a third about mental health and a quarter about behaviour.

But parents cited sport as key to addressing these, citing sport as being key in helping their child to: spend less time on screens (60 per cent), be a team player/help make friends (57), improve confidence (51), improve behaviour (22) and problem solving (21).

The research, that also surveyed over 1,000 children aged 7-12, identified the top sporting role models, with Harry Kane coming out in first position (13 per cent), Jessica Ennis Hill in second (8) and Usain Bolt won again as the top.

Cricketer Jonny Bairstow dropped in to Headingley during National Cricket Week and said: “I really enjoyed the opportunity to come back to my home ground, Headingley.

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“It was made even more special by getting to surprise a group of cricket fans who love cricket just as much as I do.

“All of the children I met have used cricket to help them through various challenges they have faced in their earlier years. The skills that sport teaches children are invaluable.”

Faheem, 12, from Leeds, struggled with behavioural issues but found a natural talent for sport allowed him to develop both on and off the field.

Laura Cordingley, the chief executive of Chance to Shine, said: “At Chance to Shine, we see the amazing impact that sport, and in particular cricket, can have on children across the country.