The Reality Of Summer Vacations

Children always look forward to summer vacations. They anticipate all the fun they will have during those holidays. Summer vacation is for travelling, visiting relatives’ houses,for playing all day and other fun filled activities. Well, this "was" the whole idea of summer vacations, before they changed for the greater cause of “education”. These things do not seem to happen so often today, especially for children who will are above 13 years since they will have to focus on their education.

Nowadays, most of the children are enrolled into extra classes or coaching classes during the vacations. These classes prepare them for their 10^th examinations or their 12^th examinations. Parents are so focused on these examinations that they send their children to foundation classes from a very young age. Even during the academic year, a child’s schedule is completely packed with school and then tuitions afterwards. Children rarely play outside these days. They are either too busy with classes or their electronic gadgets. They are growing up in an environment, with very little family interaction, especially with working parents.

That is the scenario today. Recently, a school gave all the parents homework. The principal took into account all these things and designed the homework. The homework was that parents are to eat at least two meals a day with their children. In a world where there is not much family interaction, this will be a bonding time for the parents and the children. Another task stated that the children be educated about the value of food and how hard farmers work for it. In this way, they will understand the value of food and that food should not be wasted. Additionally, parents were instructed to engage their child in any house work, so that children know how to do chores. Also, they should help parents while cooking, so that they value all of it better. The homework also stated that the child be allowed to cook his favourite dish and wash his plate after eating. It will also be good if the child can visit his grandparents since they will get to know about their affection and love. Children are to be kept away from electronic devices and be allowed to play outside.

We are too focused on academic education and forget morals and ethical education. Through such activities the child builds better relationships, knows how to do his work on his own and understands the importance of relationships, also the value of everything he has and that, so many people work to provide him what all he has. He learns to respect others and appreciate his possessions. He also has a lot of fun during these activities.

I hope more schools follow such idea and implement it in their schools.