Need for after school activities

Whenever children are literally up to their gills with the learning and sport activities in school, it may seem superfluous to enroll them for after school activities. Despite this, after school programs are shooting up in large numbers and most of these are booked full. This shows that there is a real demand for after school activities.

The lack of parental supervision is the main cause for the sudden increase of after school programs. It has been observe that many children on average, have about 20-25 hours a week unsupervised and left alone at home. And as the saying goes, "An idle mind is a devil's workshop". Left alone children tend to have too much freedom an usually fall into the wrong company. Sooner or later they will be involved in drug abuse, alcohol, tobacco and crime. Parents enroll children to after school programs for the purpose of keeping them in a productive manner. The kids are allow to enjoy themselves in a supervised activity.

Crime rate usually peak during the after school hours between 3-4 p.m. Children therefore need protection during these particular time of the day. Having all children under one roof and promoting them to participate in group activity is one of the ways protect themselves.

Obesity is another growing concern as more and more children are becoming couch potatoes. Most of them rest on the sofa with packets of chips, soft drinks or chocolates and they watch T.V. straight after school. 30 % of the kids below the age of 19 are found to be overweight, and about 15% of these considered obese. An after school program helps the child to shakes off his sluggishness and keeps himself occupied. It also helps to reduce the child's captivation on T.V and computer games.

After school activities that encourage social awareness build up the individual's sense of social responsibility. It is found that these forms of programs not only keep kids out of problem, but also assist to bring about responsible citizens. To that degree, they are valuable building blocks in a child's personality.

Times are changing and parents desire their children to stand out in academics as well as in other activities. This might be a expression of the parent's unfulfilled desire to excel - a remnant from his own childhood. Whatever the ground, parents nowadays encourage their children to enroll themselves in several programs and enhance the various aspects of their individuality. Children also seem to be comfortable learning many things simultaneously, and gain satisfaction from this.

<Back To After School Activities Next Previous