As the school year begins to ramp up, many parents still face an ongoing weekly dilemma: what to do with their children after the bell rings and the school day ends. While some opt to put their children in the care of a babysitter for several hours after classes are over, there's a superior option: After-school care programs and the learning center connection. Here are a few of the reasons why after-school care is the right choice for your child. 

3 Major Benefits of After-School Care

1. Complete Homework

After-school programs at learning centers offer children a supportive, structured environment to complete their homework assignments. They also provide crucial academic support in an environment where kids can ask for help and pose questions they might not feel as comfortable doing in the classroom. 

2. Foster Social Development

Most parents know how important it is to help their children develop communication skills and social intelligence. These soft attributes, which may not be tested in classrooms but are clear assets to any child's ability to make friends, form relationships, and flourish socially, can be further developed in a learning center setting. It gives children far more social interaction than sitting at home being watched by a babysitter. 

3. Build Confidence

Unlike their daily classrooms, which can be intimidating places both academically and socially, after-school programs and learning centers are meant to be easygoing and supportive places where children can feel comfortable and grow their confidence. 

Parents in the St. Charles and Cottleville areas looking for a respected and dependable after-school program for their child should look into Great Beginnings. Offering a wide range of early childhood education programs for children two years old and up, Great Beginnings is dedicated to providing a balanced curriculum that focuses on child development while also making children feel fully at ease. Visit the after-school care provider's website to learn more about its services, or call directly at (636) 724-5048 for the St. Charles center, and (636) 447-4212 for the Cottleville location.