Essay about Latchkey Children

Staying up until 1am to finish math homework and studying for that huge history test next class is pretty routine for some teens. Juggling school, sports, a social life, and other extracurriculars is tough, and teens are already in a critical period in their life. It is the time period in which teens grow and learn the most, and sets them up for a bright future. Staying healthy both mentally and physically is imperative, and sleep is probably the most important. Schools starting as early as 7am limits a teen’s potential. If schools were to start later, the benefits would be endless. Schools starting later improves both physical and mental health of students, keeps the individual and those around them safer, and improves students performance in school and sports.

Children become looked after when their parents are unable to provide on-going care in either a temporary or permanent capacity.

Some children who are developed enough feel neglected, they feel they are not well taken care of and often tend to run away from home.

When child go through transitions they need people they have built up positive relationships with to help support them through the changes in their lives. We use circle time to explain to the children what is going to happen and they can talk about their feelings children will make a better transition if they know what is going on. We take are cues from the children on how much information is given and how much an explanation is required. We allow time for the information to be processed some children might have delayed reaction and might want to talk later at a quieter time. We are always to be truthful in all our answers so we keep their trust. We listen and acknowledge how the children are feeling and we reassure the children that what they are feeling is normal and other children have been

The New Jersey State Department of Education received government, state, and local funding for youths ages 5-17, as part of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. The question is; how can the states revise and disperse the amount of funding allocated for after-school programs for the current number of children enrolled? How can we raise awareness about the higher enrollment after-school programs offered for children of all ages? The current data shows the ratio of children enrolled versus the number of children not enrolled, offset the amount of dispersed funds, and varies state to state. The New Jersey Department of education allocates the funded money towards after-school programs housed at public schools with a high enrollment rate while other states do not. This leaves a huge gap in society with not enough funds creatively used towards youth programs. Children of all ages should have access to an after- school educational program and support from within their community. Common motivational goals set forth in the evaluation for this program are, for children to receive the enhancement of moral values, equality, and diversity through after-school educational programs within their local school districts. This evaluation is based on the logic model format and designed to meet the needs and demands assessment criteria. Weighing the outcome of an economical developed society in which graduation rates will increase. While, in past the government started

In NYC, access to after-school programs remains a problem for many children especially those from low-income/unstable families due to the lack of funding by the government. After school programs are slowly diminishing in the city and many people are not interested in reviving them. Over the years, many people have downplayed afterschool programs and their benefits to children especially those that come from low-income/unstable families. The social development of children from unstable backgrounds could greatly improve by the promotion and valuation of afterschool programs. They offer activities, memories, and a sense of community all of which these kids need to excel and gear away from the negativity that surrounds them.

There are times when people talk about their childhood and tell stories of elementary school and middle school. Some stories are very positive and interesting to hear about, while others are depressing and show us how life can be rough sometimes. There are countless cases in which we see a child choose the wrong path of life and go into drugs, violence, and other negative things because the absence of parental supervision and guidance in their life. Kauchak and Eggen mention a term called "latchkey children" in their book Introduction to Teaching. This term is used to describe children who return to empty homes after they attend school, resulting in the children having no adult or parental supervision until their parents or a guardians return

While living in the Residence, we will be working with the Boys and Girls Club of the Cedar Valley in Waterloo. They offer a safe and educational environment to kids, specifically those at-risk, to spend time with their friends and participate in activities put on by staff and volunteers. This gives these kids opportunities that they might not have had access to elsewhere, and it prevents them from finding more dangerous activities in some of their communities. In a bigger city like Waterloo, there is a higher population of at-risk children and teenagers who choose to go to an after-school program like the Boys and Girls Club instead of doing more dangerous activities. Statistically, there are more lower-income families with children who are a part of after-school programs like this because parents are not always available to provide after-school care, which makes them more likely to fall into trouble. We became aware of the need for volunteers in places like the Boys and Girls Club through our own experiences working with teenagers who have gotten into trouble because they did not have this resource.

This would help kids get more sleep. They would have less to do when they got home from school. Many people do have extra activities they do, like sports. If schools have after school programs they should make the programs only on Friday’s. Then they would not have to worry about getting up early the next day. The article states, Lauren Schloss tries to get to bed on time. But her swimming practices runs to 7.30 p.m. every Wednesday. Other days when Lauren doesn’t get home until 6, after her parents pick her parents up from an after school

Studies have also shown that from shifting the school day to start later in the morning resulted in a boost in attendance, test scores, and grades in FOUR of the major subjects increased. Which is very important in a student’s life because they need to learn how big of a role attendance plays in everyday life, it also shows students what they are capable of in school, which make students more confident to go to college. It also showed a decrease in tardiness, substance abuse, and symptoms of depression. This is important because if a teen starts abusing substances at a young age there is high chance that they will continue to abuse them later on in life. And some even showed a dramatic decrease in teen car accidents. Also if teen feel rushed they think they have to drive fast to get to school on time, which highly increase crash rates among

Each day children across America go to school; education not only being a requirement, but a necessity of life. Yet when the school bell rings every afternoon, over four million children ages five to fourteen go home to no parental guardian (Olsen). These children are called latchkey kids; terminology first used in the 1940s during World War II, when women had to work because their husbands were deployed. Latchkey meaning the key to the house is often strung around the child’s neck or hidden under a mat near the door. Even though this seemed to be a required thing at the time, there are many negative effects of making your child a latchkey kid. Children who are left alone after school, classified as latchkey kids, are more susceptible to violent behavior, unsafe environments, and unreasonable responsibilities.

In today’s society the majority of households have a family dynamic where both parents need to work. It is nearly impossible for most families in America to survive financially without two incomes. This puts many parents in a situation where they have to find extra help to watch their children while they are away at work. “These days couples face complex negotiations over work, family, child care, and housekeeping. It becomes evident that where traditional marriage through the centuries has been a partnership based on mutual dependency, modern marriage demands greater self-sufficiency” (Hekker). Day care becomes a necessity for many families, and the main concern for most parents is if the day care will be a positive experience for their

After school, from 3 to 6 p.m, is a critical period of time in a child’s life. After school programs help keep kids safe and inspire them to learn during that period of time. After school programs are organized programs that youth can participate in outside of a traditional school day. Enrolling children in afterschool programs would provide them with benefits that unenrolled children would not receive, such as reduce risky behavior and promote physical health. After school programs provide a safe environment for children, while positively impacting their academics, safety, and their future.

Being a parent comes with a lot of responsibility and difficult decision making. You always have your child's best interest at heart, but sometimes your child may disagree with the rules you have set down. That is why, I believe, the perfect parenting style is democratic. You can compromise with your child, but still have basic rules you want them to follow, without them feeling targeted or that you are being unfair. When i become a parent, I want to make sure my children have guidelines. I want them to be able to make their own mistakes and learn from them. Their health, their type of entertainment and the toys they play with are three major, broad categories that I would like to have a say in, along with their input of course.

As early as kids join school, negligence is a very repetitive mistake made my parents. The topic of Latchkey Children, which are the children who return to empty houses after school and whom are left alone until parents arrive from work, is very delicate because it raises the risks of danger to the child. Not only is the child not equipped with the means to survive on his own, but also the risks of education as there is no reinforcer or anything to make sure the child applies himself to his schoolwork. As the Latchkey Child is left unattended they could spend extensive hours watching tv and not getting enough help with their homework, which would later motivate them to not do the homework at all. Luckily, there are solutions to these problems.