Typically when you think of “after school specials,” you’re thinking of those mini-episodes where teens are being pressured by their peers to try drugs and alcohol… Well, in today’s day and age, an after school special has a whole new meaning and it’s through extracurricular activities.
For lots of kids, after school programs are fun, they’re great ways for your kids to meet new people, and they’re actually some of the biggest moments in your children’s lives where they will have the fondest memories. Now, the thing to understand about extracurricular activities is that they’re way more than social activities or activities to keep your kids out of trouble. With extracurricular activities, your child is provided with continued learning opportunities well outside of school operating hours.
By getting your children involved in extracurricular activities, you’re instilling in them life skills like teamwork and responsibility… they’re even learning more about time management and don’t even realize it. Whether you’re enrolling your children in extracurricular activities to keep them out of trouble, to help them hone in on their skills, or because you don’t get off early enough to get them from school, you really can’t go wrong with these new types of after school specials.
Take a look at the six major benefits of getting your kids involved in extracurricular activities after school.
Extracurricular Activities Teach Your Children the Meaning of Teamwork
If your child’s extracurricular activity is playing on a sports team, they’re definitely going to learn the importance and meaning of working together with others to accomplish a certain goal. With sports, they’re learning how to communicate with their teammates to accomplish the goal, which is to win the game. Even if they don’t win the game, they’re learning how to lose together as a team.
Your Children Will Gain a Major Boost of Confidence
With extracurricular activities, your children are learning different sets of rules and disciplines that are not the same as what they have at home, and that’s perfectly fine. It allows you to see a different side of your kids. Take, for example, learning how to play the piano. The piano is a tough musical instrument to master. If your child is struggling with a particular section in their piano lessons but continues to practice and finally overcome that obstacle, your child will feel such a huge sense of accomplishment. Overcoming that obstacle will then give them the confidence they need to be able to overcome any other challenges they may face.
And that’s the great thing about piano lessons for kids… and after school programming in general… whether you’re trying to keep your kids out of trouble or if you’re simply not ready for your teen to start dating, extracurricular activities can be the positive distraction your kids need; it can also be the peace of mind for your sanity.
Your Children Will Learn Time Management
If you instill in your children that they cannot participate in their extracurricular activities until they’ve finished their homework. This isn’t necessarily a way for your kids to hurry up and get it done, but what it does is help your children learn to prioritize their day. By helping them understand that their academics come first and their afterschool activities are a privilege, they’re also learning the difference in needs and wants.
Your Children Have a Lower Risk of Getting Into Trouble
Well, you can’t really ignore the fact that extracurricular activities do lower the risk of your child getting into trouble. If you turn on the news, you’ll see that more and more crimes are the result of young teens getting caught doing things they have no business doing… and that’s something that’s happening all over the world these days.
According to secureteen.com, teens turn to a life of crime due to peer pressure, bullying, and lack of attention from their family. There are also other reasons as to why this happens but when your child has a strong family support and even a positive environment in their extracurricular activities, the idea of drugs and alcohol, crime, and other disruptive behaviors aren’t even a thought that crosses their minds nearly as much as a child who doesn’t have that family support system or extracurricular activities to get involved in.
What Type of Extracurricular Activities Will Your Child Get Involved In?
However you choose to look at extracurricular activities, just make sure you’re approaching it from a positive place and also make sure that the activity you choose or your children choose, isn’t just a time-killer. You want to make sure that you choose an activity that keeps them learning well beyond the classroom.
