After School Hours:

Watching TV, Playing on the computer and video games are the most common after school activities of kids this generation. There surely is nothing wrong doing these activities but they should be done in moderation. I am sure you agree with me here, don’t you?

Most parents who work want to see after school time as a holding place for their children. Kids today see after school time as fun time, play time or simply hang out time. But how many parents actually are taking that seriously and actually putting some thought to how their kids should spend their time resourcefully after school?

Research today clearly shows that kids benefit greatly from participating in after-school activities. In a 2008 study, research found that the 17 percent of kids who didn’t participate in activities were more withdrawn and socially immature and had lower self-esteem in comparison to their more busy peers.

Few thoughts to what actually after school activities should serve as:

·         Physical activity
·         Development of socialization
·         Peer relationship skills,
·         Promote learning
·         Homework, and so on

How should parents go about this?

1. Make afterschool activities useful by first assessing the child’s needs.
2. Do what you can, given your time, money, and availability of programs.
3. Evaluate every three months to see whether you are achieving your goals.

Once you have decided on activities that achieve most of the above goals another important point to keep in mind is that Physical safety and activity appropriateness are paramount for your child.

I think we could use this as forum to address any concerns regarding after school activities and get help from other readers. At the same time if you would like to share your experience about development of children who are already part of after school activities the space is yours go ahead and let us know your story.