Activity Level in Children and Their Parents

Activity-level and child-rearing questionnaires were administered to mothers and fathers of 43 children in nursery school. Mothers rated themselves as well as their children on their childhood activity level; fathers rated only themselves. The mother-child and father-child correlations for activity level were significant (r = .48 and r = .42, respectively). Correlations between parental attitudes toward child rearing and activity level of their children were generally nonsignificant, though mothers and fathers of active boys tended to be less protective and indulgent. The results were interpreted as consistent with a heritable component to activity level.