activities-children-child-57.html
0818 AUGUST
58 / 96
child
?s mind. he can focus on his own creativity and have the space to expand on his own interests,? says ewing. benzel found this to be true with her 10-year-old son brock. ?he always loved music and rhythm but had never had piano lessons,? she recalls. ?one day, his friend came over and started playing our piano. brock, who was eight at the time, said, ?i can do even better.? i started him in lessons and within months, he had surpassed his friend?s skills. i never have to ask him to practice. lessons are the highlight of his week.? but benzel admits lessons, practices, and commutes whittle away time, which is why she always considers time commitments before enrolling her children
in activities. ?my life is one big jigsaw puzzle with work and family responsibilities,? she says. ?i have to carefully place on the calendar where everyone is going and have an ?a? and ?b? plan in case my husband can?t help out.? equally important to time is finding an organization that matches your goals and objectives with regard to student- teacher ratios, instructors? experience, teaching philosophies, and student expectations. ask for recommendations from teachers or administrators at your child?s school, or talk with family and friends whose children are enrolled in activities if you aren?t familiar with local programs near you. calvetti found this approach helpful. ?when angelo was in the first grade, a friend told me about a chess club her son was in, so we decided to sign angelo up for it,? she says. ?it was a great program and a good experience for him. it taught him to lose graciously and persevere through a game.? experts agree perseverance is an important lesson children need to learn. for the calvettis, it was worth repeating on a grander scale. ?when he was seven, angelo took an interest in the piano so we signed him up for lessons,? calvetti remembers. ?two months into it, i realized he didn?t like playing, and we still had four months left on the contract. we wanted to see if we could move 15 tips for finding the right after-school activity
by denise morrison yearian k ids? interests and activities are as diverse as the children themselves. just as the right activity can build self-esteem and provide hours of enjoyment, the wrong one can lead to feelings of failure, frustration and fatigue. so, how do you find the right extracurricular activity for your child? 1. watch him play. consider his interests, temperament and personality. does he like constant physical activity or quieter experiences? 2. look at strengths and weaknesses. would she like to fine-tune those strengths or are there areas of weakness that could be improved with instruction? 3. explore through exposure. expose him to various activities and events. provide him with a balance of both group and individual activities. ask for his feedback and follow his lead. 4. get a physical. before starting any athletic program, take your child for a physical exam to detect vision, hearing, or other medical conditions that may make it difficult to participate in the activity. 5. consider time commitments. how much family time is committed now? how much will this activity entail? will personal practice time be expected? 6. count the cost. think about uniforms, trips, and other expenses not covered in the initial fee. 7. get recommendations. talk with your child?s school. if you are looking for a physical activity, the p.e. teacher may have some ideas. if it?s music, the music teacher might give you a lead. also, get feedback from friends and family mem- bers regarding programs their children have been in. are they happy with it? is there anything they don?t like about it? how often are practices or meetings? is there one-on-one instruction? 8. find a good match. look for a program that aligns with your goals and objectives. consider class size; instructors? experi- ence; frequency and duration of lessons, practices, or meetings; and curriculum and philosophy. 9. stop in. if the program has ongoing instruction, ask if you can stop by for a visit. sit in on a session and observe it in progress. does the instructor interact with the students? does he use positive reinforcement? are the students listen- ing and attentive? do they seem happy? is the program geared for the skill and developmental level of the children? 10. ask about introductory classes. many ongoing programs offer introductory classes with no commitment. this allows your child to become familiar with the program and serves as a screening pro- cess to see if the instructor is running the program at the children?s level. 11. review commitments. talk with your child about the commitment she is mak- ing to the activity before enrollment. is she willing to go to games, practices, classes, or meetings? will she commit to investing personal practice time, if called for? will she participate in fundraisers? 12. persevering points to ponder. if your child wants to quit an activity, con- sider your personal view on making him persevere. is this a repeated pattern that needs to be addressed? will it affect the rest of the team or group if he leaves? is it detrimental to your child?s health and well-being to continue? 13. keep schedules open. children need free playtime and downtime as much as they need scheduled activities. avoid over scheduling your child with too many ac- tivities and watch for signs that she may be too taxed. if this happens, reevaluate current commitments and look for ways to cut back. 14. rehash unsuccessful endeavors. if at first you don?t succeed, talk it over. ask your child what he didn?t like about the activity, so you don?t repeat the mistake when choosing a new activity. is it the instructor? other kids in the program? the activity itself? 15. try something new. if your child has taken up an athletic activity, such as soccer, but didn?t like it, try a different sport. if he played the saxophone and it wasn?t a good fit, try a new instrument. or, choose something completely differ- ent. the point is, give your child a variety of experiences and maybe he will find something he truly enjoys. 5 4 b r p a r e n t s . c o m | a u g u s t 2 0 1 8
child-work-until-59.html