Working parents often find themselves worrying about what to do with their kids after school has been dismissed for the day and they are still at work. An after-school care is perhaps the best solution to that problem. After-school care for your child in one of these programs is convenient, but it also offers several incredible benefits that will leave both you and your child feeling good about enrollment. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of enrolling your child in an after-school program.
1. Minimize Emotional and Behavioral Problems
If your child has emotional and behavioral issues, enrollment in an after-school program can help to minimize the problem by fostering positive connections to other kids in the program. Good character traits are nurtured during the relationships that develop between children in these programs. Open-mindedness and respect are two attributes that are a part of the lessons that are taught by staff to help with interaction among peers. These attributes are commonplace, and kids learn that these things are expected of them. Studies have shown that these programs have the capability to support the social and emotional growth of students and to positively influence their personal development.
2. Enhance Leadership Skills
It’s never too early for children to develop leadership skills, and these programs can serve to engage children as leaders, much like a summer camp. In a publication by the American Psychological Association regarding after school programs, it was highlighted that these programs give youngsters opportunities to develop leadership and decision-making skills. There may be opportunities for kids to volunteer and learn how to be good citizens who help to make their communities better. Leadership skills are attributes that kids can take with them into adulthood that will serve them well.
3. Improving Social Skills
There are many shy kids out there, and if your child is one of them, enrollment in an after school program is a chance to expand your child’s social circles and in the process, improve their social skills. Kids can feel more comfortable in an after-school program setting, whether interacting with familiar faces or being introduced to new ones. The anxiety that is often associated with the typical classroom is absent from this environment, which allows children to be more relaxed. In building new relationships, children will have the opportunity to enhance their social skills and put them into practice.
4. Participation in Physical Activities
No after-school care program is complete without a physical activity component. Every child needs to exercise and this type of program could provide the physical activities that a child needs for optimal health. It is common for these programs to have a recess period, outdoor playground or indoor jungle gym or some sport activity that can get kids’ blood pumping and heart rate up.
5. Safe And Supervised
Every responsible parent wants to ensure that their child is safe, regardless of age and physical capabilities. With enrollment in an after-school program, parents can worry a little less knowing that their child is in safe hands and properly supervised. This can be especially important for parents with a disabled child who is more susceptible to victimization. Parents may also be concerned with keeping their teens from participating in risky behavior. Knowing exactly where your child is after school and what they are doing offer parents peace of mind and keeps their focus on work.
After-school programs can provide a way for parents to ease their worries and ensure that their kids are engaged in positive activities after school. These programs can help to foster enhanced leadership and social skills, minimize behavioral and emotional issues and give kids the opportunity to participate in physical activity and be in a safe environment. Choose an after-school program and allow your children to learn valuable attributes that they can take with them back to the classroom and apply to other areas of their life.