URIJAH AND ISAIAH
An unfortunate reality is that the rising cost of child care leaves many parents in a bind, and Jasmine was no different.
Jasmine’s job meant that an after-school option for her two sons, St. Maria Goretti students Urijah (going into Grade Six) and Isaiah (Grade Four), was necessary. But the options available to her were prohibitively expensive.
“When it comes to budgeting, it wasn’t feasible,” Jasmine says. “It would take a whole paycheck [to pay for it].”
Social media advertisements for Free Play for Kids caught Jasmine’s eyes. Here was a program that could provide exactly what her family needed without even coming close to threatening their ability to pay for other necessities, as well as something for the kids to do in the summertime.
The selection of sports helped too, as both Urijah and Isaiah gravitated towards basketball as well as flag football for its similarities to rugby, which they also enjoy.
Beyond just the boys enjoying the sports they play though, Jasmine says the Free Play has provided other social and personal benefits as well.
“For one,” Jasmine says, “they get to socialize. Two, it keeps the kids out of trouble and keeps them busy and focused.”
“I feel like it's taught them how to be mature, grown up. To be their own self, be an individual, and show respect to other people, and I guess if something's going on, to be able to step out of their comfort zone and bring it up to the leaders that are involved with Free Play.”
“And it's definitely helped keep them out of trouble,” Jasmine laughs.
One moment that built Jasmine’s confidence in Free Play was how they handled an incident where Urijah experienced bullying, and the youth leaders in Free Play stepped in to assist.
“I [told Urijah], ‘you are the one with the voice, just as much as these other kids. You can talk to your youth leader on the bus,’... They were very concerned and willing to deal with it.”
What could have been a traumatic experience for Urijah was taken care of, as Free Play’s youth leaders intervened and all parties involved were able to get back to what matters: enjoying playing sports.
“It was nice to have the leaders learn about what was going on and then have them not only teach our kids that we're experiencing it, but hopefully teach the kids that were bullying that it's not okay.”
While St. Maria Goretti is not participating directly with Free Play (Urijah and Isaiah got enrolled through neighbouring Homesteader Elementary, whose program has filled up), Jasmine hopes to keep the kids involved with Free Play in whatever way possible.
“Overall, my experience with Free Play has been awesome,” Jasmine says. “The kids really enjoy it. It’s been wonderful for our family and the boys, and it’s taught them a lot and has gotten them to experience a lot outside their comfort zone.”
Written by Stefan Salegio
