The Benefits Of Elementary After School Programs Santa Barbara Provides Youngsters

By Larry Wilson


One of the biggest problems working parents of young children have is what to do with them once school is out for the day. Some opt to send them to childcare centers. Others have family members who care for them until the parents get home. Still others have discovered the economic, academic, and social benefits of the elementary after school programs Santa Barbara provides for its youngest citizens.

These are places where kids get the opportunity to connect with peers on a more equal playing field. If you've put your child in a program outside his school, he'll meet new people who aren't a part of the cliques he's had issues with all day in his classroom. Parents who enroll their kids in a program within their academic system, reason that a different environment may foster friendships in spite of classroom cliques.

Playground time after classes is monitored more closely than during class hours. Program instructors are more closely involved with the playground activities and work to make sure every child has an opportunity to participate in the play groups. For kids who don't always fit in well, this is a good way to help develop their social skills. They have more confidence when they feel accepted by their peers. If these kids act in inappropriate ways, the instructors are there to step in and help the children resolve their issues.

A structured program gives kids qualified help with homework. It can be hard for kids and parents to find the time and patience to tackle homework assignments after a long day. Parents are often too stretched, with other children and personal responsibilities, to give a struggling child the homework help he needs.

When kids are enrolled in a program they have qualified academic help from teachers with the expertise to open the door to learning. When you're choosing a program for your child, you need to consider the ones that have experience giving academic assistance to all kinds of children, including those who have learning and attention deficit issues. You don't want the program where kids are doing homework for other kids or working without supervision.

Children who have attention deficit and learning challenges often feel more comfortable in this kind of environment than a classroom environment. An afternoon program is less formal and not as structured as a classroom. Kids don't have to worry about tests, because testing is not the function of these programs. That lack of pressure sometimes gives them a chance to relax and think through social and academic issues in a way that is impossible for them in a classroom.

Children in a program feel safer and more secure. Afternoon can be a risky time for unsupervised children. They are much more likely to get into trouble, or be victimized, during the afternoon hours unless they have some kind of supervision.

Parents can relax when they have their kids enrolled in an after school program. They know what the kids are doing and where they are doing it. That leaves the parents free to concentrate on their jobs.




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