Enrolling children for after school activities may seem superfluous due to the fact that they are constantly busy with academics and sports activities in school. But even so, sprouting up in large numbers are after school programs and most of these are even booked full. This is proof that there is a real need for after school activities.

The leading cause for the surge in after school programs is the unavailability of parental supervision. It is seen that many children spend about 20-25 hours a week unsupervised and alone at home. There’s an old saying that goes something like this: an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Children who are left alone to contend with too much free time invariably fall into the wrong company. Drug abuse, alcohol, tobacco and crime come knocking at their doors sooner rather than later. Parents enroll children to various after school programs to keep them occupied in a productive manner. This means that kids will therefore be free to enjoy themselves in a supervised activity.

During the after school hours, between 3 to 4pm, crime is considered to be at its peak. During such a time, children need protection. It would be protection enough to get the children together under one roof and encourage them to participate in a group activity.

A matter of growing concern in this country is obesity. More and more children are becoming couch potatoes and this is what other people have noticed. While they watch T.V. after school, many of them would relax on the sofa with packets of chips, cool drinks, or chocolates. 30 % of the kids below the age of 19 are considered overweight, and about 15% of these are obese. The child can shake off his lethargy and keep himself busy with an after school program. This also helps to reduce the child’s fascination for T.V and computer games.

The individual’s sense of social responsibility is developed by after school activities that promote social awareness. With these sorts of programs, not only will kids be kept out of trouble, but it will also help in producing responsible citizens. This is the reason why they are valuable building blocks to a child’s personality.

Since times are changing, their children excelling in academics as well as in other activities is what parents want. This may be a remnant from the parent’s own childhood or even a reflection of the his unfulfilled desire to excel. Regardless of the reason, children are encouraged by their parents to enroll themselves in various programs and develop the various facets of their individuality. Children too seem to be comfortable learning many things at the same time, and gain satisfaction from this.

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