SUCCESSFUL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Greetings,

I am sorry to be so behind in my posting but illness overtook the cottage for a while. It has been a difficult time but now I am back on my feet or at least my keyboard. the tough part of being ill was not being able to care for my grand children however, luckily my daughter has back up care for the baby and she decided to put her big brother in an after school activities program. I decided for other parents in this same position this might be a viable option and less expensive then traditional day care. So I did some research and came up with some tips on how to choose a successful after school program. I hope you find this information as useful as my daughter has.

What marks a successful after school program? What are the things that you should look for when enrolling your child into one such program? Other than the obvious advantage of learning something new, successful programs incorporate many things that help the development of the child.

Development of social skills is one of the more important objectives of a good after school program. In a recent survey, parents indicated that while they do want their children to respect others, they also wanted them to imbibe skills like getting along with other children and getting used to children outside the immediate circle of friends. Many children find it difficult to make new friends and get along with people outside their group.

Good after school programs place special emphasis on security and safety. They keep children out of trouble and keep them safe. A good after school program should be fun, especially when the children are young. If the activity is fun, you will not have to worry about keeping him interested or motivated.

To be effective, programs should be organized and structured. They must also suit the age of the child. The child must be aware of the purpose of the program, and must be convinced that they are attending the programs to accomplish something.

There are some very reputable after school programs such as the YMCA and The Boys and ?Girls Club of America. There may be some fees involved but most of them are designed to fit even the tightest budgets. The YMCA has scholarships available for low-come families.

There are some after school activities that could be considered such as , Little League Base Ball, Soccer and my grandson belongs to a Basket Ball Team for 7 and 8yr olds whose main goal is to have fun while throwing the ball towards the hoop. Some programs involve the children in planning activities and making decisions. Adults often forget to get the opinion of their children.

The program should have professional and trained staff that loves to interact with children. The
program should maintain a cooperative and supportive attitude Routine evaluations are an important part of after school programs. If the child does not benefit from a class, don't waste time being over-optimistic. Try something new.

You are now ready to look for the perfect after school activity for your child. But don't let us forget that having fun is also an important part of growing up. The child deserves a few hours of pure delight.