Nobody ever said parenting was easy - and if they did, they lied. Not all kids are going to end up in trouble, but there are plenty of ideas out there to help keep them in your (and their teachers') good books. 

A study from the Ohio State University suggests one way to keep the young ones in line is to sign them up to a youth club. In doing so, kids attain a stronger sense of self, and improvements in that area may be able to help keep them out of trouble. 

By surveying nearly 300 children aged 9 to 16 in Utah, the university gauged how attached the children were to their family, neighbourhood and school. The study also asked if they had engaged in problem behaviours in the last 30 days. 

Ultimately, the results revealed that there was a link between the time spent in club-type activities, the stronger their sense of self. 

Dawn Anderson-Butcher, an associate professor of social work at Ohio State explained how this is an important part of a child's development. 

"As kids' self-concept improves, it reduces their vulnerability to negative influences, which in turn decreases their likelihood of using drugs and alcohol, joining gangs or failing in school," Anderson-Butcher said.

The study also showed that it didn't matter so much what the activity was, but that the participation alone was enough to boost their social skills and improve self-worth. Those involved in the study took part in recreational activities such as basketball, as well as life skills classes and tutoring. 

If your child is part of a youth club of some sort, recreational activities involving team sportsmanship play a huge role in children's development. A couple of hours learning to bowl for the young ones or practising their skills for the older children could be a great way to get them to spend some quality time socialising and developing.