After School Snacks Are A Must

After school snacks are a must have for most children. They come home tired and hungry from a hard day at school, loaded down with homework in heavy satchels and backpacks, which must be completed that evening. Most children are far more eager to rush off to their extracurricular activities and leave the homework for later, but no matter whether they are off to soccer or hunkering down to study, they will tell their parents or caregivers reverently that they are starving and simply can't do another thing without having their after school snack. It is so much a part of the routine, that it is almost a family ritual. Parents who are lucky enough to be home when their children arrive find that they meet their children in the kitchen after they toss their things towards the dining room table. They rush into the kitchen and ramble to you about their day, while they ramble through the fridge and cupboards for the all important after school snack.

A Mad Dash To The Fridge

Often this time spent with your child while he or she feverishly searches the kitchen for the refueling they need from their after school snack is your best chance to actually get them to confide in you, while the main activities of the day are still fresh in their minds. Also, because they are so distracted by hunger, you can even get them to answer a few of your questions about school and their peers and actually receive answers before the ravenous edge of hunger is worn off, and their anti parental unit guard settles back into place. Seize the moment ask them about their teacher and their classmates. Be brave, and ask them about their school work and how they are progressing. You will often find the hungry child is easily distracted, and you can use that to your communicative advantage. So the after school snack is vital to regenerate the child nutritionally so that they can face their activities and not collapse before the evening meal is served, to phrase it the way the ever dramatic hungry child will tell you! It is also an awesome opportunity for parents to converse and bond with their children, and for caregivers to show them how much they are interested in the time they have spent away from them at school.

Build A Bond Around Snack Time

Planning an after school snack that involves both you and your child to work together will strengthen this opportunity even further. So don't opt for a bag of cookies that they can just pop open and bound off to their rooms with. Create an alternative that turns the after school snack into a healthy and enjoyable occasion for you and your child to look forward to every day. Not to say that the occasional chocolate chip cookie or two with an ice cold glass of milk doesn't make for a wonderful after school snack. It can be a wonderful treat, especially if it isn't an everyday event. However, the time you spend with your child while you make a batch from scratch will most definitely be more rewarding even than sinking your teeth into the warm, gooey cookie. It fosters the spirit of cooperation, as well as opening the channel for communication. So remember while all snacks aren't created equal, the time and love you put into them can be.

Shalisha Alston

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