Teenagers are teenagers, and every mom and dad tend to worry what their children might be doing while the parents are out working or out of the house.

With many working families in Comal County, a new study shows that a high number of local teens are free to roam during that window between the final school bell and when parents walk in the door every evening.
The United Way of Comal County recently wrapped up its Community Needs Assessment, which included a survey of virtually every student in both of the local school districts.
The majority of them reported they spend between one and five hours per day without an adult after school, which the study said could increase the chances of “risk behavior,” like drug and alcohol abuse, or sexual activity.
To reduce the average student’s free time, school districts stress the importance of getting teens involved in some sort of after-school activity.
“Kids that are involved in some sort of extracurricular activity tend be the kids that don’t get into trouble,” said Stephanie Ferguson, New Braunfels Independent School District’s public information officer. “They’re more connected with their peers and more connected with the community.”
But according to the needs assessment, more than half of local students don’t participate in any after-school programs, and another 18 percent said they only participate on average one to two hours a week.
CISD Director of Communications Kari Hutchison said that’s why schools try to offer as many clubs or activities as possible, to try to cater to everyone’s tastes.
“The things we encourage are primarily extracurricular activities like athletics, or music, or a club — just to help them find something that they can be passionate about,” she said. “You need to have a really diverse set of different options for students... We’re all different people.”
And some students probably don’t want to hang around school all day, but outside of school, a large number said they don’t have too many options available on foot.
Forty percent of respondents said they don’t have a recreation area, like a YMCA, a hiking trail or a baseball diamond, within walking distance.
Although the study also shows that physical activity is not necessarily a high priority among teens.
Almost 40 percent of Comal County students aren’t involved in sports, and almost half don’t participate in even one hour of physical activity a week. About a quarter of local teens spend three hours per day on the phone, and another three hours watching TV or playing video games.
Given all the wasted hours and potential for trouble unsupervised time can bring with it, the study said the community should “consider whether six or more hours per day of TV, texting and telephoning time for a quarter of these teens is the best the community can do to provide alternative choices.”
(Source: herald.zeitung.com)