Afterschool Clubs

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pheasantchick
Posts: 2439
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm

Afterschool Clubs

Post by pheasantchick »

Scarlett: "Out of interest, at what age do your children become interested and active in school clubs ? My DS has only just started secondary, but doesn't seem that keen on the after school clubs.Perhaps he's still a bit tired ."

Decided to start a new thread following Scarlett;'s coments on another thread.

Scarlett - my son could be your son!

At the parent introduction meetings, the teachers mentioned that joining the the afterschool clubs would mean the children make new friends and feel part of the school. Before starting, DS said he was keen to join x, y and z club.

However, three weeks in, he has been to one sports lunch time club once and an after school club twice. The lunch time one he says he gets hungry, so would rather eat his lunch first, and then runs out of time. Yesterday, he forgot about the other afterschool club.

I tired to encourage him to join another lunchtime club as well, but to no avail. (You can lead a horse to water...). I'm now making myself slightly paranoid that he's not making friends/fitting in/missing out etc.
new2me
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:52 pm

Re: Afterschool Clubs

Post by new2me »

I've been having the same trouble with my DS. He likes the idea of various lunchtime clubs but also likes to take his time over lunch. Last Friday, I decided to cut his canteen lunches down to 2 a week, and make him a packed lunch for the club days that appeal to him. He made it to his first club on Friday, enquired about another yesterday only to find it starts next week, and he should be trying out the third today. Hopefully once he's into a routine, I can stop the packed lunches, which are a bit of a pain but seem to be having the effect.
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Afterschool Clubs

Post by scary mum »

Mine don't do them either. When I went to look round the GS the other day the boy showing us round kept on telling us about all the clubs and I found myself wondering why on earth my two older DCs don't take advantage of them. There are varying excuses - I forgot, it wasn't on, everyone is better than me, only the geeks go to that (science club, which I would like to go to please). Even the things they do out of school they don't seem to want to do in school. Maybe they just want to relax and hang out with their friends. Mine do attend various clubs sporadically, but haven't really got involved. It seems a shame, but you can't force it. I imagine it partly depends on what their friendship group does.
Last edited by scary mum on Tue Oct 11, 2011 9:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
scary mum
Snowdrops
Posts: 4667
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Re: Afterschool Clubs

Post by Snowdrops »

.......... and another one with a DC who had the best of intentions, but never really got past the starting post!

So disappointed, she could get so much out of them, but I guess the pull of food and friends is far greater :roll:
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menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: Afterschool Clubs

Post by menagerie »

I'm intrigued by this. Did your DC do clubs at primary and then give them up once they hit secondary? I can't peel one of my sons away from his clubs. He'd do about 16 a week if I let him. I've managed to narrow it down to 7 a week and he feels aggrieved at all the ones he's missing out on because they clash or I've run out of money! His brother I've always thought hadn't much zest for extra-curricular, but he does four a week, (if I include choir when he remembers to go!) I'm really hoping they keep these up as they are a source of so much pleasure to them. Do they go through some pre-adolescent hormone dip where it's all they can do to crawl into and out of school each day?
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: Afterschool Clubs

Post by scarlett »

Maybe they are all just lazy boys ! We had a parent consultation yest. and DS form tutor mentioned that he should get involved in clubs. DS announced he couldn't because I had told him he had to get a set bus home :? Which I hadn't. I don't think there's time at lunch once they've queued for food.Anyway, apparently he's made lots of friends so I'm not too worried...just don't want him to miss out on any great opportunities !
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: Afterschool Clubs

Post by sherry_d »

I think its easier to for them to try new things at primary because we still have more control over what they do. Even then my DD's interest were vaguely in netball and singing (just not in the choir :roll: )

She is doing it now because she is forced to do it. She was moaning at some point why she has to do hockey as she hates it but its compulsory so she just gets on with it and the other stuff she doesn't like. Given a choice she would have bailed out but she seems to have now gravitated from the "I hate these clubs" to "its ok" and has one or two she actually likes now. Its still a bit of a struggle to encourage her to try other things that aren't compulsory. The ones she seems to have picked up herself are the ones her friends are doing.
Impossible is Nothing.
push-pull-mum
Posts: 737
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:52 pm

Re: Afterschool Clubs

Post by push-pull-mum »

DD does lunchtime activities 4 times a week (wanted to do Russian club as well but it clashes with Band) and after school activities twice a week. She would probably do more if she didn't also have music and dance classes outside school as well.

Sadly, at least one of the clubs is threatened with closure because not enough children have joined.

However I would suggest that children who feel no need to join clubs are quite possibly already happy and settled in their friendship groups and so welcome the chance to just 'hang out' for a bit at lunchtime.
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: Afterschool Clubs

Post by scarlett »

Yes, I think you're right PPMum....my DS does give the impression it would interfere with his social gatherings.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: Afterschool Clubs

Post by sherry_d »

DD used to do choir over lunch 2 years ago and she stopped going because she was missing her play time with friends + choir was giving her a headache :(

She wants to be a singer and she just hopes she will be an overnight success without practising her vocals. I have x-factor to blame.
Impossible is Nothing.
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