Latchkey No More

The Evolution of Afterschool

by Kelley Granger, July 29, 2008

According to a special report commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance, a non profit public awareness and advocacy organization based in Washington, DC, 56 percent of families in 1950 represented the “traditional” American image—one parent worked full-time and the other stayed home to care for the children. Today, less than a quarter of the families in the nation fit this image, leaving 14.3 million children to care for themselves after school.

The rest of the world has changed a lot since the 1950s too. Jodi Grant, the executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, says that another study points out how much more likely kids were to partake in dangerous behaviors while unsupervised during these hours. “Teens who do not participate in afterschool programs are nearly three times more likely to skip classes than teens who do participate,” she says. “They are also three times more likely to use marijuana or other drugs, and they are more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and engage in sexual activity.”

But the image of the traditional American family and the dangers in the after-school hours are not the only thing that’s changed. On a more positive note, the demand for afterschool programming has increased and has been met with a number of evolving, engaging options for parents who wish to use the afterschool hours in a constructive way.

“There was a time when there were few afterschool programs, and what was available was more likely to be activities—a cheerleading group here, a chess club there,” says Grant. “We are making progress, the number of afterschool programs is growing, but we still have a long way to go. And the programs we have do more to provide the range of supports and activities that students need today than in the past. In many cases, afterschool programs engage students who may not be doing well in school by offering field trips, mentoring, opportunities to try art and music, physical fitness and sports, career exploration, and much more, as well as the homework help that students need.”

Rather than just providing baby-sitting, today there are a range of choices in the region that go beyond standard child care to promote creativity, teach new skills, and prepare children and youth for the responsibilities they will face in the workforce.