Need for After School Activities

When children are literally up to their gills with the learning and sport
activities in school, it may appear superfluous to enroll them for after
school activities. In spite of this, after school programs are sprouting
up in large numbers and most of these are booked full. This shows that
there is a actual need for after school activities.

The unavailability of parental supervision is the leading cause for the
surge in after school programs. It is seen that lots of children spend about
20-25 hours a week unsupervised and alone at home. And as the saying
goes, "An idle mind is a devil's workshop". Children who are left alone
to contend with much free time invariably fall in to the wrong
company. Drug abuse, alcohol, tobacco and crime come knocking at their
doors sooner than later. Parents enroll children to various after
school programs to keep them occupied in a productive manner. This way,
the children are free to enjoy themselves in a supervised activity.

Crime is thought about to be at its peak in the coursework of the after school hours,
between 3- four p.m. In the coursework of such a time, children need protection. Getting
the children together under roof and inspiring them to participate
in a group activity is protection . It diverts the children from
ennui .

After school activities that promote social awareness create the
individual's sense of social responsibility. It is seen that these sorts
of programs not only keep children out of trouble, but also help to produce
responsible citizens. To that extent, they are valuable building blocks
in a kid's persona.

Obesity is a matter of growing concern in this country. It is noticed
that increasingly children are becoming couch potatoes. After school,
lots of of them relax on the couch with packets of chips, icy drinks or
chocolates while they watch T.V. 30 % of the children below the age of 19 are
thought about fat, and about 15% of these are fat. An after school
program ensures that the kid shakes off his lethargy and keeps himself
busy. This also helps to reduce the kid's fascination for T.V and
computer games.

Times are changing and parents require their children to excel in academics
as well as in other activities. This might be a reflection of the parent's
unfulfilled desire to excel - a remnant from his own childhood. Whatever
the reason, parents today encourage their children to enroll themselves
in various programs and create the various facets of their
individuality. Children appear to be comfortable learning lots of things
simultaneously, and gain satisfaction from this.