EDITORIAL

Studies in New York, California and other areas have shown that young people – from infants to young adults – need positive reinforcement and
activities other than academics to shape their lives in such a way that they become productive members of society. These same studies show that children who spend only a couple of hours per week in extracurricular activities are significantly less likely to drop out of school; use tobacco, alcohol or drugs and become teen parents. Spending 5-19 hours per week in after-school activities reduced the risk even further.

Far too often, we hear of those who are having difficulty, especially in school, with the basic comprehension of and ability to carry out simple instructions, which ensures the smooth running of the classroom or outdoor activities.

There also seems to be a growing problem with children who are disruptive in settings with their peers as well as with adults responsible for their care outside of the home. And if one looks at the matter more closely, there are many cases where these children do not have an outlet other than the negative behaviour which they display. It is accepted that we live in a time where both parents usually have to work, therefore the amount of time available to focus on their child/children is significantly lessened; as opposed to most married parents of the past where the mother stayed at home. On the other side of the coin, an increasing number of children are part of one-parent homes, where the parents are employed in more than one job or are themselves overwhelmed by the responsibilities which they face.

It is not uncommon, therefore, for adolescents left to their own devices to fall into questionable company and/or commit deviant acts.

Psychologists and law enforcement officers elsewhere have labelled this after-school time period the “witching hours”, since it has been revealed that not only are children more likely to participate in violent crimes when unsupervised after school, but they can also be victims of crime, and a high percentage engage in risky behaviours such as tobacco, alcohol or drug use or sexual activity.

On the contrary, there is evidence that when children are exposed to programmes and activities that encourage the building of character and positive interaction with others in society, they have a significant chance of beating those odds. It is necessary at this time for Barbadians to ‘believe in their young people’.

While it is tempting to add the burden of after school care solely to those within the school system, since teachers are often viewed as the substitute parents during school time, this can also be an opportunity for those who have excelled, against the odds, to make that necessary and valuable contribution that society so desperately needs, through mentoring and sharing their time and experiences with these young people.

In fact, if we look around Barbados, we see many shining examples of citizens who have come from single-parent homes, and for that reason we encourage youth today not to see similar circumstances as an impediment. A former Minister once stressed, “This country allows you to excel and needs you to excel. You are our future and I want you not to embrace the negative comments that you will hear, but in fact embrace the positive comments. Also, do not be afraid to identify any senior in your community that can assist you in your development.”

Those are words of wisdom for our youth to follow.