Day For Kids!
THERE'S A DAY FOR GROUNDHOGS, WHY NOT ONE FOR OUR KIDS?
In the U.S. it seems there's a "day" for just about everyone: Mothers' Day, Fathers' Day, Grandparents' Day. There's even a day for groundhogs. Then there are the awareness months, Cancer Awareness Month, Diversity Awareness Month, Motorcycle Awareness Month.
But there's one important group - arguably the most important in our country - that isn't recognized: our kids. Unlike most other industrialized nations, the U.S. is one of the few nations that does not have a day set aside to honor its young people. In a country ranked first in wealth and productivity, we do not have a day in which we recognize our most precious resource: our children.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has established Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids as the third Saturday in September to foster stronger relationships between adults and children by educating them on the importance and value of spending meaningful time together.
In today's society, most Americans are experiencing a major time famine. Parents, like those in Garden Grove are working longer and longer hours, leaving them with little time for their kids. In fact, most parents recognize their failure to connect with their children, according to a study conducted for America's Day for Kids.
One of the most interesting findings: more than half of all parents queried said they had little or no time to spend engaged in physical activity with their children, but wish they had more. Is there little wonder then why there's a major epidemic of childhood obesity facing our country?
Half of the parents also reported they didn't have enough time - and wished they had more - to participate in their children's educational enrichment. Yet we know from many research reports that just a few hours each week helping kids with schoolwork can significantly improve their grades.
And finally, while almost all parents assign great importance to eating together as a family, only four in 10 eat a home-cooked meal with their kids even once a day. This, despite the fact that data has shown eating meals together several times a week can reduce a child's risk of smoking, drinking or experimenting with drugs.
Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids isn't about getting the most presents; it is rather designed to reinforce the idea that the greatest gift adults can give children is their time. In fact, research shows that when adults spend meaningful time with the young people in their lives, it helps youngsters develop a positive self-image and sense of belonging.
The bottom line is that as family dynamics have changed, lack of time together has become the real national debt. We in Garden Grove as well as all of America will miss out on a lot, if we do not get about the business of investing more time with the young people in our lives - our country's collective future.
This is the principal objective behind a grassroots campaign to establish Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids as an "official" holiday on the national calendar. In Garden Grove and around the country, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is committed to having the country recognize the third Saturday in September each year as Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids - a day when adults and children spend meaningful time together. This time can take on a variety of forms, including time spent taking walks, telling stories, sharing dreams or simply enjoying one another's company.
On September 16, thousands of kids and other positive adults will gather at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove for a day fun, meaningful activities.
Address:
Main Branch Kids Club
9860Larson Street
Garden Grove, CA 92844
Time:
11am-2pm
FREE HOT DOGS!!! Carnival Games for all ages, music, and Community Resources will be available.
Contact:
Paul Ramirez, 714-532-7943
In the end, it's not so much what you do that matters, but that you simply spend some meaningful time with your kids.
If you'd like to learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs Day for Kids and the events planned for Garden Grove, please visit www.dayforkids.org.
