Feeling irritable and blue every now then comes natural to kids, especially during the tough teen years. However, if the feelings become persistent and too intense to turn off, it may be the depression they are suffering from. Teenage depression is a serious medical condition that disrupts every facet of kid’s life and may predispose them to everlasting negative consequences.
Some of the symptoms that justify the prevalence of depression in kids are:

• Drop  in the performance at school
• Frequent sadness, tearfulness and crying
• Declined interest in activities
• Low energy
• Persistent Boredom
• Insomnia
• Self-loathing
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Difficulty with relationships
• Poor concentration
• Engagement in risk-taking behavior

As a concerned parent, there are many ways you can help your kids fight depression and get back on track. Below are a few tips you can follow:

• Keeping up with activities: It is medically proven that teenagers who spend more time in different kind of activities are less prone to feeling depressed. You must encourage your kids to participate in school as well as after-school activities. There are many indoor and outdoor activities for kids like sports, fine arts, drama, music, etc. that help kids boost the positivity and relieve the stress. 
• Talk about the problem: If you think there is something bothering your teenagers then feel free to ask them about it. Sometimes, all it requires is a nice cup of hot cocoa and a sit down. Let your child start the conversation. Make sure you carefully listen what he/she has to say. If your child is more of an introvert, you may initiate the conversation by talking about something funny that recently happened to you.
• Organize fun family nights: Sometime, sharing a meal together is just not enough. Try to save the weekends for family. No matter how busy you are, call it a day, go home and spend quality time with your kids. Don’t forget to pick up their favorite snacks on your way home. Spend the night looking through old family albums or watching their childhood tapes. This would not only help kids get over loneliness and depression but will also result in stronger family bonds.

We, at Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas offer various sports and arts programs for kids between 6-18 years of age. To enroll your kids in any of our programs kindly visit us at 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541 or call 254-699-5808.

These days, many school aged kids prefer to kill their free time holed up in bedrooms with video games and computers. With latest technologies at their fingertips, good and refreshing physical activities appear to have become a thing of past. It’s about time we reintroduce the love of daily recreational activities and increase their interest in the field of sports.

We, at Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas understand the importance of recreation for the overall development of kids and aim at providing them with a safe environment to enhance their skills through our fun-filled activities.

The activities at our club range from indoor fun like fine arts and drama to several outdoor sports programs. When it comes to outdoor team sports, there’s something about tackle football that makes it a popularchoice among kids in Texas.

There are three tackle football leagues kids can participate into at our kids club in Texas:

• The NCAA League: It is provided especially for boys aged 7-8 years old with weight 60-100 lbs, and 9 year olds with 60-74 lbs. of weight.
• The AFC League: This league is available for boys aged 9 with weight 75-120 lbs, 10 years old with weight 70-110 lbs and 11 years old with 75-89 lbs of weight.
• The NFC League: It is available for boys aged 11-12 with weight 90-140 lbs. and 10 year olds with 111-140 lbs. of weight.

Tackle football is basically a physical game which involves a number of offensive and defensive strategies and playing positions. From leisure to health, this game provides kids with a lot of benefits. The most significant, however, is that kids learn how to cope up with winning and losing. The balance and composure that follow further inspires the kids to develop and maintain a positive outlook throughout their lives.

Other benefits of participating in Tackle Football at Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas include:

• Healthy and fit lifestyle
• Fun and enthusiasm
• Increased confidence level
• Self-discipline
• Exciting new challenges
• Educational benefits
• Better Communication

In addition, participating in this youth football game is a great way to develop social skills in kids. It teaches them the importance of teamwork, honesty, cohesiveness, respect and other key values. Understanding these facets features the moral development in kids and results in social bonds that last for lifetime.

To enroll your kids into any of the tackle football league or for any related query visit us at 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541 or call at 254-699-5808  Ext:102.

Basketball is a very popular sport that keeps children physically active. Playing basketball regularly not only helps your children burn those extra calories but also improves their concentration and builds endurance. As a parent, it is imperative that you engage your child in a productive kids’ club in Texas where basketball is one of the activities.

At the Boys & Girls Club Texas, we organize various activities for kids that involve sports fitness and recreation. The Youth Basketball League is one of our key initiatives and comes under our Organized Sports Leagues. Apart from basketball, we also have other programs as well. These are: Youth Football, Cheerleading and many other such activities.

Through these programs, we encourage the kids to take part in sports and enhance their physical and mental well-being. Read on to know more about our Youth Basketball League…

• There are three leagues in all: 2nd Grade; 3,4th Grade and 5th Grade. All the different leagues have specific age requirements.
• A membership fee of $10 is to be paid and an additional $55 as sports participation fee. Along with this, proof of age and proof of residency is also required at the time of registration.

Apart from the above mentioned benefits, basketball also offers many other physical and mental advantages. Below is a list of some of them:
Basketball helps in improving balance and co-ordination.

• It helps to build strong muscles.
• Since the game involves teamwork, it teaches the kids how to be a good team player.
• It is a fun game that kids of all age groups can enjoy.
• It also inculcates self-discipline in children which is vital for their future lives.
• When your kid joins our Youth Basketball League, he gets to make new friends whom he can meet regularly. This widens the social circle and also opens doors for healthy interaction.

Keep in mind that while playing basketball, your children have the requisite safety equipment with them so as to avoid any injuries. You must provide them a good pair of sports shoes that provide a firm support to the ankle. Also, you must give them mouth guards and protective knee and elbow pads.

Since basketball involves a lot of running, jumping and twisting; make sure that your child is in the best of health before he joins a kids’ club. Visit your family doctor to get a thorough check-up done prior to engaging your child in the game of basketball.

No wonder, Football is considered as one of the most popular sports activities in America specially among youth. Many people in Texas are taking steps in making their kids join youth football programs for two apparent reasons- one, for the sake of their kid's interest in the game and two because of the health and other benefits associated with it. Speaking of which, let's find out what the benefits of playing youth football are-

• Coordination: Football is a sport in which there's no room for “I”. It is a “we” sport in which each player from goalkeeper to mid fielder, striker to defender, has his own importance and role. While playing football, players get to know their teammates, learn to help each other and work in unity to achieve the common goal. The sense of coordination learned while playing football does not only help them in the football ground but also in the long run.
• Fitness: Performing exercises is a great way to keep your body fit and fine and there is no better way to do that than indulging yourself in some kind of sport activity. The game of Football requires the player to stay active and run a lot, this help player to get a good cardiovascular workout. Even the football training involves a lot of running, walking, sprinting and jumping that help kids remain fit in and out of the field.
• Character: Discipline is one of those things that every parent wants his/her child to learn. Although football ranks on top in the category of aggressive and contact sports, it does make kids learn discipline in a way. Getting into a conflict is a common thing, even for elders, but resolving a conflict demands real patience and discipline, which are not so common. Good news is that football teaches both these important qualities to the players.
• Sociality: Agree or not, we are somewhere losing our social skills. Even the kids today prefer to watch TV, surf Internet or play video games than interacting with each other. Participating in youth football games make kids interact with other teammates, developing and maintaining social bonds that last for lifetime.
• Confidence: One of the things that kids learn from youth football is confidence. 90 precious minutes spent in the field teach them how to keep calm and be confident. This positive outlook surely does help them in facing difficult situations in every stage of life.

To get your child enrolled in Youth Football program at Boys & Girls Club of Central Texas, kindly visit us at 304 W Ave B, TX- 76541 or call Ms. Carol Dunn (Administrative assistant) at 254-699-5808, Ext: 102.

With technology overtaking every aspect of kids’ lives, it is imperative they do not become a couch potato and instead get involved in a physical activity. Sports programs are a great way to get your kid engaged in a fitness activity. This will help him become active and also prove to be beneficial for his health.

At Boys & Girls Club Texas, we organize numerous sports activities for kids and your children will surely want to be a part of them. We are very proud of our Organized Sports Leagues that have contributed towards the overall personality development of so many children. Our sports fitness and recreation program includes activities such as: Youth Football, Youth Basketball and Cheerleading apart from hordes of other activities.

Following are the details of the various sports activities offered by our Boys & Girls Club Texas. These programs have been specially developed for the youth aged between 7-12 years. We determine the age group of a particular child by checking his age as on September 1, 2004. Read on…

• Tackle Football League: At present, we are offering three leagues in this program. The details of these leagues are as follows:

1. The NCAA League:  This is available for boys aged between 7-8 years who weigh 60-100 lbs and 9 year olds weighing between 60-74 lbs.
2. The AFC League: This is available for 9 year old boys weighing between 75-120 lbs, 10 year olds with weight between 70-110 lbs and 11 year old boys between 75-89 lbs.
3. The NFC League: This league is open for boys aged between 11-12 years and weighing 90-140 lbs as well as 10 year olds who weigh 111-140 lbs.
4. We also organize Youth Football for boys up to the age of 12 years.

• Youth Basketball League: There are three leagues in this category: 2nd grade, 3/4 grade and 5/6 grade. There are age restrictions in each category. Do go through our website to know the membership details or you can call on our given number and get all the requisite information. We will be more than happy to answer all your queries and clear your doubts.
• Cheerleading: This is one activity that incorporates fun and learning together. This activity is designed for kids aged between 7-12 years. It is one of our most popular programs and kids thoroughly enjoy participating in it. All the games organized by our club are played at the Trimmer Road Athletic Facility.

Boys and Girls Club Texas offers a plethora of activities and programs for kids and teenagers. These programs aim to make them physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially sound, so that they can face thereal-life challenges and situations with ease.

We organize a variety of programs wherein young kids can harness their creative and imaginative talents; nurture their health and physical fitness; and hone their educational and practical skills and become employable in the future.

Among all these kids’ activities, CareerLaunch is a particular program that targets children falling in the age bracket of 13 to 18 years. Read on to know more about this program and what all it entails.

• CareerLaunch is a career-centric program in the club where members explore their skill sets and areas of interest and how they map to various careers and jobs available in the market outside.
• The idea is to equip them with adequate knowledge so that they do not falter while making career choices. A thorough beforehand knowledge will make them aware about the pros and cons of a particular career decision. Working in a field that is also your area of interest is always beneficial in the long run.
• As part of this program, a booklet named “CareerLaunch Teen Tips” is offered. It contains practical advice pertaining to job hunting in the practical real world scenario. The booklet is very handy and can be easily carried in a pocket as and when required.
• The CareerLaunch Teen Tips booklet comes with an attractive portfolio. Here, one can store a variety of job hunting related documents such as resumes and job applications. Thus, it proves to be a very useful aid when it comes to searching for that right job.
• The program is also associated with a dedicated CareerLaunch website. It contains online information about various colleges and jobs. A number of interactive activities for kids are also available here.
• As part of this initiative by Boys and Girls Club Texas, our staff and volunteers can work individually with teens, or in small groups, as convenient. The Career Exploration Quick Reference Guide can be used as a starting point for all such activities.

So if you are looking to find where your aptitude lies, and want to become job ready, CareerLaunch is the place to start. You can visit us at 304 W Ave B, TX- 76541 or call Ms. Carol Dunn (Administrative assistant) at 254-699-5808, Ext: 102.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas is the perfect place to hone and nurture the talent of youth. These clubs help in channelizing the energy of kids into something useful. Football events are one such initiative of these kids clubs that not only keep the kids physically fit but also develop a competitive spirit in them. Kids from different age groups are divided into various categories and then football matches are organized.

Read on to know more about the increasing popularity of football among the youth in Texas along with its benefits.

• Football is a great sport that helps to maintain a healthy heart and also contributes towards overall fitness. It also improves and maintains the athletic capacity among the youth.
• Another health benefit of playing football is that it burns a huge amount of body fat apart from improving the muscle tone.
• When kids play football, the flexibility in their bodies increases up to a great extent. Their muscles also strengthen a lot and they develop a high level of  endurance which is very beneficial.
• This sport involves a mixture of different physical activities such as walking, running as well as sprinting. Therefore, getting involved in football brings a very  positive effect on the overall well-being of the body.
• Since the sport involves working in a team, the players learn team work and imbibe co-ordination skills as well.
• When the youth takes part in football, there is also an increase in the concentration power. Also, they develop a sense of self-discipline which comes in very handy as far as other aspects of life are concerned.

As it can be seen, football offers a lot of physical, mental and social benefits. Therefore, you too must get your child enrolled at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas and  encourage him to take part in the game of football.

But make sure that you do not force your children and let them develop a liking for the sport at their own pace. This way they will be able to enjoy the sport and also do a great service to their body. It will prove to be a great way of utilising their spare time.

As a parent, you would want nothing but the best when it comes to your child. Early years in life lay the foundation for a kid’s wholesome cognitive and mental development. With precisely this in mind, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas offers a range of activities that play a key role in strengthening the mental prowess and thinking ability of a kid.

So enrolling your little ones in various kids activities here will prove to be a very fruitful decision. Read on to know more about the various activities organized at our club and how they are conducted.

• Leisure Reading: This activity helps to broaden a kid’s perspective on the various things in the world around him/her. It also increases the ability to assimilate knowledge and brings clarity of thought and expression. Kids learn even better when there are visuals to go with the text; graphics basically augment the learning process.
• Writing Activities: Writing is another activity offered by the club. It goes a long way in improving the child’s ability to express thoughts in a vivid and precise manner. Writing also helps to enhance the vocabulary of a child and he or she learns how to use different words in particular situations. Overall, the writing activities organized here prove to be a great learning curve for the young and creative minds.
• Discussions with Adults: Adults are people that kids always look up to for advice and guidance. So at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas, the young members are motivated to have stimulating and intellect-stimulating discussions with adults who have great knowledge pertaining to various issues. This is a great exercise to improve the mental and spoken English capabilities of young children.
• Games: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. To ensure that Jack does not become dull, our kids club also offers games such as Scrabble and others, which make the learning process fun. Kids really enjoy this part and learn a lot as well.

Other than the above mentioned activities, Boys & Girls Club Texas is also involved in spheres like homework guidance and tutoring. Our club is open all year round for boys and girls of the ages 6 to 18 years of age. For more details, contact us at 304 W Ave B, Killeen, TX – 76541. Our telephone number is: 254-699-5808.

A well-developed personality can make your child reach great heights in every field. Although it is an tiresome and never ending process to develop good personality in children, all you need is patience and hard work to see your child succeed.

A child with a confident personality develops excellent communication skills and gets the ability to explore different fields. He also learns good manners and etiquettes that can do wonders for him in the future as well. Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas organizes different kids activities so that they can develop a strong personality.

Read on to know how you can contribute towards building up your child’s personality…

• You must make your kid aware about his positive as well as negative aspects. Do not ignore his weak points and always praise if he is good at anything. Of course, it is good to appreciate your child when he does something well but you must also be concerned about the areas where he is lacking. For instance, your child might not be interested in sports at all or might feel shy in conversing with other kids. In such a scenario, you must make him realize that he should improve upon these areas.
• Make your child join the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas so that he can pursue additional hobbies apart from excelling on the academic front. It can also help your child overcome his fears and weak areas. This is because this kids club involves children in various activities that help them develop a confident personality. Gradually the children find even the most boring things very interesting.
• At the same time it is very important that you do not force your child to do something that he is not interested in. You must give him proper freedom and space to choose the activities he loves to accomplish. Do not overburden him with your unrealistic expectations as this can hamper his personality growth and crush his confidence as well.
• While developing the personality of your child, it is imperative that you exhibit a lot of patience. These things do not happen overnight as personality development is a slow learning process.
• Last but not the least; it is very important that you become a good role model for your children. Your child will watch you and eventually learn what they see. Therefore, it is important that you set a good example in front of your kids. You must not display aggressive emotions in front of your children as this can affect their heart and mind. Consequently, there will be a bad effect on their personality development.

Self-confidence is imperative for mental health as well as social well-being of child. With lack of confidence, a child can get affected by behavioral problems. This makes it important to adopt a number of things and engage kid in different kids activities that will help in developing self-belief. Read on to know more about the same…

• The first and the foremost important thing is to improve your own self-confidence as a parent. If your personality reflects lower self-esteem, it will probably reflect on your child too.
• Your child will always look up to you to see how you perceive him. If you hold negative images of your child or show him that his opinions do not matter to you at all; it can lead to depreciation in his self-confidence. Therefore, you need to have a positive reflection of your child and make him realize this fact to boost his confidence.
• It is important to engage your kid in various confidence building activities that take place at Boys and Girls Clubs in Texas.
• Play with your child often as this will make him feel how valuable he is to you. Children learn a lot through the medium of playing. You can improve his self-confidence by giving him feelings of importance and achievement.
•  As unimportant as it may seem, it is very beneficial if you address your child by his name. It not only bolsters a child’s self-confidence by making him feel valuable but also opens many other channels of communication with him.
• Always make sure that you encourage your child in every activity he is good at. When a child possesses a certain talent and he does well in it; there is an automatic rise in his self-confidence. Therefore, you must always try to recognize the fields in which your child in interested and give him confidence to carry his talents even further with more practice. But remember that you must create a perfect balance between pushing and protecting.
• Never compare your child to any other kid as this can crush his self-confidence. Make him realize that he is a unique individual who is special in a number of ways. Don’t have unrealistic expectations from your child as he will not be able to excel in everything that he does. Praise him whenever he does well in his field of expertise. This will further add to his confidence.
• Always be aware of the kind of friends your child has in school or at the kids’ club. This is very important because if your child is in a bad company, it can do a lot of harm to his self-confidence. Tell him how to ignore children who try to bully him and make his confidence see new heights.