SUMMER vacations will be starting soon: we are in the midst of a heatwave, maybe the vacations should have started by now. Irrespective, most students are going to get two and a half months of non-school time. What bliss. What an opportunity to laze around, stay up late, get up late, do things unhurriedly and not be bothered about the clock.

Yes, there will be homework and some parents will try to make schedules and so on. But my plea is different. Let children enjoy their downtime. Let them have lots of unstructured time. Let them daydream and let them feel a bit bored as well. They will benefit a lot from all this.

So, how do we do all that? This depends on the circumstances of each household and the opportunities that might be available to them.

It is a great idea for children to travel during the summer vacation. Going to a different country or a different city for some time can enrich their lives a lot. They meet new people, experience different cultures and languages, different weather, different cuisines and, if nothing else, the different rhythms of life. Travel can be a great teacher. A visit to cousins or grandparents can be enriching in other ways too. The time they spend with grandparents, cousins and friends will create bonds that will last throughout their lives.

This is such a wonderful opportunity for children to do things at a leisurely pace.

Summer schools........

© Dawn