Benefits of a good after school program

Children grow up in a society that demands expertise in everything. You

really cannot sit back and decide that learning from textbooks is enough

for the overall development of your child. It's the age of specialization

and your child cannot afford to miss out on this window of opportunity.

So, scour your locality for the most advantageous programs and enroll them

for the ones you think are the best.

After school programs are basically designed to develop a talent or a

skill that is ignored by regular schools. These programs could be

educational or recreational in nature. Whatever type they are, they

basically aim to keep the child active and interested.

The most important advantage of a good after school program is that it

widens your child's area of interests. He or she is introduced to new

things, sometimes interesting, sometimes challenging. Mastering a new art

form or a new skill increases the child's self-esteem. It also allows you

to introduce your child to new career options. A child attending a music

class may decide that she likes it so much that she wants to make a career

out of it in the long run.

Socialization is another great advantage of after school programs.

Children get to meet others who share their interests and make new

friendships. An acting class or a soccer class can be lots of fun. Many of

these programs coach children for performances or matches. Performing on

stage or playing a match can be a great experience for a young child.

After school programs keep your teenager busy. He or she thus has some

amount of protection from destructive habits like drugs and alcohol.

Surveys indicate that children who are kept busy through diverse absorbing

activities are less prone to abuse, depression and burnout. Significant

increase in achievement and attendance and a reduction in drop out rates

are other advantages of a good after school programs.

Most after school programs have children interacting with one or more

adult. This allows them to benefit from positive relationships with

adults. Children often find it difficult to confide in parents and

teachers, but may open up with other adults.

Many children are put into recreational after school programs so that they

reduce weight and remain healthy. A newly emerging trend shows that about

15% children below the age of 16 are obese. Parents who cannot put their

children on a strict diet resort to sports and games to burn fat. With

cases of child diabetes on the increase, this has become a prime focus of

many after school programs.

A good after school program has many benefits. It keeps the child

entertained as well as busy, and thus prevents children from becoming

addicted to TVs and PCs. By giving them ways to burn up their excess energy

and explore their creativity, after school programs help to shape the

overall personality of the child.