Parents nowadays are more than focused on giving their children the best education and upbringing. They work for extra hours to earn more and then come back home to sit for extra hours with their children looking at their performance and progress. Helping the parents in their endeavor of making their kids the best possible version of themselves are the after school programs which should be available as an option in every school. This will help the parents while they are busy at work and ensure the kids’ growth while their personality is still being formed.
Academic Support
Many parents are unable to give their kids the academic support that they require post school while trying to learn or doing their homework. The reason for this could be the busy schedule of the parents or the lack of knowledge of the subject. In any case the only one who suffers because of this is the kid. Hence, schools should start an after school program for academic support where every kid will be given individual attention. At this time the kid should be able to clarify all his doubts and should be able to get a grip of the concept which was unclear to him.
Mentoring
The best time to give exposure to the kids is when they’re still growing. When kids are still going to school, they’re more receptive and one can shape their persona accordingly. Thus, when kids will be mentored at this time, they will have a better understanding of life, they will have somebody to look up to, they will not feel neglected and they will be able to understand their own personality and interests better. Mentoring will help a kid shape his mind and plan his life forward.
Youth Development
Our country is at the point where it expects a lot from the youth, but there is absolutely nobody to go and teach the same to the kids. Thus, the responsibility should be given to the school to conduct after school programs and teach the kids a few basic things like perseverance, respect for the country and fellow beings, hard work and compassion. There should be activities that make the kids realize the worth of every such quality and they should be able to choose their life path based on these principles.
Arts
Not every kid loves to study, there are a few kids who are exceptionally talented but in the environment of school their talents go unnoticed. People with their constant emphasis on academics make the creative kids feel demotivated. Thus, there should be after school programs which could help these kids hone their skills and help them find their passion and hence, a way of life using their special skill or talent. Also, schools should not force academics on such children because it may lead to a mental breakdown of the kid and in loss of interest.
Sports
We all talk about the time when the youth used to be fit and active, the reason for that was the physical activity that the kids used to do every single day. Nowadays the kids spend their time on the laptop or playing video games. Thus, it is very important for the schools to have after school programs that push the kids to learn a sport which can help them make a career out of it and get involved in some physical activity which will keep them healthy.
School and parents, both are responsible to give the kid the best environment to grow into responsible and disciplined individuals. The after school programs will make sure that happens and that too well in time. These programs will help the kid to understand their own personality better and shape it for the struggles in life and a brighter future.
Identifying the interests of the child is very important and after school program contribute to this in a major way.