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Think about how much society would be improved if these kinds of activities were offered to teens. Some of us can afford to offer such experiences to our children but I would say most of the families in the communities with the most teen problems can't.
I think many parents overdo it with too many scheduled activities when kids are young but we are trying to keep our kids active, engaged, social and learning how to be a part of a team. By the time they are teens all these goals help tp keep them out of trouble and "naturally high."
Spend the money up front to keep teens busy and healthy instead of on the other end paying for addiction programs, juvenile courts and institutions, and all the costs to society for people unable to handle stress and lack of direction.
I've also heard a corresponding theory that kids who participate in sports and other extracurricular activities where they simply have to take a risk and challenge themselves, at varying levels, are less likely to engage in other less desirable risky behaviors like drug or alcohol use since they already are getting that "risk fix" in other ways.
I wish we did have more state sponsored activities for children. Sports, music, science, art, whatever the passion. I have a feeling we'll be seeing less soon, not more.
I wish we did have more state sponsored activities for children. Sports, music, science, art, whatever the passion. I have a feeling we'll be seeing less soon, not more.
Russia used to have this, until 1991. All free or dirt-cheap. Sponsored by local municipalities, which acted as extensions of the national government. Granted, these activities often had political propaganda tied in, but you gotta take the bad with the good.
(Source: conversation with a colleague)
I wish we did have more state sponsored activities for children. Sports, music, science, art, whatever the passion. I have a feeling we'll be seeing less soon, not more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MillennialUrbanist
Russia used to have this, until 1991. All free or dirt-cheap. Sponsored by local municipalities, which acted as extensions of the national government. Granted, these activities often had political propaganda tied in, but you gotta take the bad with the good.
(Source: conversation with a colleague)
My state provides public schools that offer all these.
I wish we did have more state sponsored activities for children. Sports, music, science, art, whatever the passion. I have a feeling we'll be seeing less soon, not more.
Russia used to have this, until 1991. All free or dirt-cheap to any child or teen enrolled in school. Things like ballet, radio-controlled airplanes, painting, swimming, astronomy, martial arts, etc. Some places had community service as participation requirements, like cleaning the grounds of war monuments or reading books to veterans. The activities were sponsored by local municipalities, which acted as extensions of the national government. Granted, there was often political propaganda tied in, but you gotta take the bad with the good. Nowadays, these activities continue to exist---minus the politics---with even more varied choices, but they've been taken over by private for-profit entities, and most aren't cheap.
(Source: conversation with a colleague)
Edited to add: I think something glitched, my post seems to have gotten split into two.
Last edited by MillennialUrbanist; 01-20-2017 at 11:16 AM..
Think about how much society would be improved if these kinds of activities were offered to teens. Some of us can afford to offer such experiences to our children but I would say most of the families in the communities with the most teen problems can't.
I think many parents overdo it with too many scheduled activities when kids are young but we are trying to keep our kids active, engaged, social and learning how to be a part of a team. By the time they are teens all these goals help tp keep them out of trouble and "naturally high."
Spend the money up front to keep teens busy and healthy instead of on the other end paying for addiction programs, juvenile courts and institutions, and all the costs to society for people unable to handle stress and lack of direction.
Isn't this Common Sense 101 that Iceland has found out and that this story is touting?
Isn't it pretty common knowledge that you get vastly better outcomes (academic and non-academic) for most students if they are involved in clubs, sports, or after school activities that they really like and are encouraged to do well in?
The question is not whether to provide activities, but how to pay for them--especially in poor districts.
My state provides public schools that offer all these.
Well that is good for your state. A lot of others are not providing extra funding for children to participate in after school programs such as organized sports, dance, music, art, or other such clubs and organizations.
I wish we did have more state sponsored activities for children. Sports, music, science, art, whatever the passion. I have a feeling we'll be seeing less soon, not more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundaydrive00
Well that is good for your state. A lot of others are not providing extra funding for children to participate in after school programs such as organized sports, dance, music, art, or other such clubs and organizations.
Exactly.
This is great in theory, but many states simply don't have the funding for these after school activities. They simply don't, and this is especially true now. These sort of activities cost money, which means the "at risk" youth are unable to benefit from these activities, due to lack of access and funds. The kids who come from families that can afford it, well, they have various options available to them.
My husband has talked about writing a grant to get funding to start an after school Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training program for local schools. But again... funding. The youth that could benefit most from this sort of activity simply can't afford it on their (parents) own.
We've both had similar ideas for after school workshops/program that explore creative writing and other artistic activities.
Whatever. If you have a child that's not interested in any kind sports or attending workshops, or social groups, then you cannot force them.
I tried my boys in all kinds of things when they were young. They plainly did not want to be there.
Good luck with that if you think you can force them to stay with something when they don't want to!
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