Now more than ever, children need the support of caring adults to help them make sense of what is taking place in the world and how to figure the events into their young lives.
One of the consequences of the September 11th attack has been the heightened critique of the safety of Americans on American soil ? in airports, at work, at school, on the street and at home. It should not be forgotten, however, that before this horrendous event, Americans were already alerted to safety issues, particularly that of American children. American youth at this moment are witnessing an enormous level of violence. Not long ago, they saw it at school, at Columbine, at Santee. Now they are witnessing the impact of an assault launched from thousands of miles away, and it is unfathomable to us adults, or maybe simply too frightening, to imagine how our youth are interrupting and coping with all they are seeing.
The hours between 3pm and 6pm continue to be a critical time for our youth, as violence involving them either as victims or perpetrators, peaks during those hours. How will our children now respond to violence in their surroundings or worse yet, how will the recent terrorist attacks exacerbate the violence committed against and by our youth?
This task is increasingly burdensome to many parents who work during the day and who are unable to supervise or mentor their children until their return home for dinner. The responsibility of helping our children process the recent atrocities in ways that are healthy seems daunting for many parents.
Parks and Recreation can help. With numerous programs year round, the Foster City Parks and Recreation Department provide a secure place and caring adult supervision for youth during the critical after school hours of 3pm to 6pm. Foster City Parks and Recreation staff are well trained in conflict management, youth development, and leadership development and serve as ideal mentors and supervisors for youth in our community. Each year Foster City Parks and Recreation serves thousands of youth in its numerous programs. For more information on after school programs for your children or the Foster City Vibe, please contact the Foster City Parks and Recreation Department at 286-3380.
As always, please feel free to contact me directly at dwilder@fostercity.org.
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