Karina Haro-
Podcast
When the bell rings after school, where do your children go? Schools out and they are ready to
be with their friends and out by the play ground park! What are they doing? As a parent, I ask
you this, Do you really know what your child is doing once the school bell rings?
Hello, My name is Karina Haro and in this podcast you will learn how important afterschool
programs are and how they affect you and your child.
After school programs have been around for many years and parents don’t seem to take
advantage of this wonderful curriculum that is being offered to them for free or a minimum
charge. The number of families that have both parents working have increased. With both
parents working, their children don’t have adequate child care. Our children are not bad, but
there are bad people out there in the world to influence our children into these band things.
For example, Gangs can be a problem in your community. Even if your community might not be
a high risked gang area, by taking advantage of these after school programs, you will be helping
in preventing gangs to grow in your community. As a parent, it is our job to stop this and prevent
it before it even becomes an option.
This is where after school programs come into play. When I was growing up, I was sent to any
afterschool program my mom was able to send me to. The statement my mom makes till this day
is, “What were you going to be doing at home, nothing!”
According to Dr. Robert Halpern- the drive to expand after school programs are upon four
principle factors:
public spaces such as streets and playgrounds
are no longer safe for children’s out-of-school time,
(2) a sense that
it is stressful and unproductive for children to be left on their own after
school,
(3) a concern that many children need more time and individual
attention than schools can provide to master basic academic skills, and
(4)
a conviction that low-income children deserve the same opportunity as their
more advantaged peers to explore expressive arts, sports, and other developmentally
enriching activities.
Many programs are available, some are directed toward gang suppression and educational
programs or you can also chose pleasurable programs any child can join.
Keeping them interacted and busy is the key!
When children have too much time on their hands they start to veer off with the wrong kind of
crowd that also has nothing to do. Yours kids then keep themselves busy but with the wrong kind
of people.
According to researcher Linda Lumsden, After-school programs have the potential to meet the
needs of children and youth during the hours of the day when they are most vulnerable. She goes
on to say that these programs provide safe, supervised places for children to participate in
academic and enrichment activities, and form positive relationships with peers and adults. Not
only is the afterschool programs a help to the parents but the parent’s can also be involved in
these programs. Unfortunately, the relationship between the schools and the parents have
decreased instead of increased. As parents we can reverse this fact and be involved in our
childrens time.
Why suffer the consequences of losing your child to the street violence, when you can help your
child in the right path.
With that in mind, contacting the school your child attends will be the perfect way to start. Many
schools have sports, band, tutors and many other activities you can have your child participate in.
Outside of the school also lay safe programs for your child.
For North West Indiana residents, you can go to NorthWestIndiana.com and browse the site
accordingly to your area or programs available to you and your child. I hope these tips and facts
help you out as a parent and take the next step into making sure your child keep on in the right
direction.
http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/docs/09_02_07.pdf