Parents can be completely oblivious to what their children learn when not in their presence. I will admit that I am one of those parents right now and I am appalled. I was at a loss for words recently recently when picking my son up from his after-school program. A place where he is to be supervised and cared for. This was my safe haven for him. To know he was not alone after school.

After picking him up and getting settled back into the car, my son proceeded to open his backpack, pulled out his binder and opened the front pocket to reveal a weird formed pen, a rubber band and some other paraphernalia. After looking at the contraption I casually asked what it was.

“It’s a pen gun. I learned how to make it on You Tube.”

He took out his contraption and began to show me how his “pen gun” was built and how it works. Thankfully when he began to show me it was in the “off” position, but to know that it can actually shoot small objects, like paper clips and thumb tacks, scared me to death. What was worse is that he learned it from an online website during an after-school program that obviously does not stimulate their minds in the way I thought.

Tons of questions were floating through my mind, but there in general: one) Why were they allowed to go online? two) Once online, why are they allowed to freely use the Internet?; and three) Where was the supervision? If the students were being supervised, my son should have never been allowed to make his contraption.

Now, I have played devil’s advocate on this and yes, it might have been a silly toy that a boy made. Sure, that is what boys do. What boys do not do is create contraptions that can cause harm to someone and in turn put his family at risk for issues pertaining to a child he might cause damage to. At his age, he doesn’t think through all of the consequences, but unfortunately, the parents of the child he might hurt won’t care that he is still young.

I guess what infuriates me the most is I know this program. It comes with high marks and my son has been going for as long as I can remember. I have never had issues, before now. I researched the program and staff, just like parents should when in search for a safe after-school alternative to home alone. This is one more thing I will now need to be aware of.

Parents: Take Notice

When you are in search of an after-school program for your child, regardless of age, of course do the normal check and balance, safety of the staff and location, etc, but also ask about the program structure being used and if the Internet will be allowed.

Many programs for older children lack a forms structure to follow, as I am now aware. The structure is important because it will guide the activities: homework time, outside time, art time, game time, and Internet time. When the Internet is in use, ask if certain sites are blocked and if not, make sure staff is present or just don’t allow your child use of the computer lab.

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