Don't be afraid of summer vacation

Only a few days into summer vacation, many families are in a state of confusion, not knowing whether to send their children back to the countryside to visit their grandparents or enroll them in extra classes to fill the gap during the summer.

For many families in the city, especially those where both parents have to work, their children's summer vacations can often become a nightmare. Sending children back to the countryside means worrying about drowning and accidents, while keeping them at home means facing the risk of them watching too much TV and using their phones, and being exposed to harmful information online.

Decree No. 84/2020/ND-CP dated July 17, 2020 of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Law on Education clearly states that the annual summer vacation for teachers of preschools, general education institutions, and specialized schools is 8 weeks, including annual leave. This regulation has consulted with experts and researched and calculated very carefully and scientifically by the entire domestic education system. Summer vacation is very important, helping teachers and students to regenerate energy, prepare well before starting the new school year. Especially for children, after a school year, summer vacation is the time for them to play, relax, and do things that they cannot do on normal days because they have to go to school.

How can parents avoid the pressure of looking after their children during the summer? If parents really want their children to have memorable experiences every summer, they must prepare mentally and have a detailed plan before the vacation to help their children have a safe and rewarding summer vacation, participating in activities that are suitable for the family's conditions.

Right before the summer vacation, parents can consult their children about their need for rest during this time, from which they can come up with specific plans and itineraries. Currently, many places in Hai Duong province organize skill classes and physical training. Instead of “stealing” their children’s summer vacation by forcing them to take extra cultural classes, parents can register their children for swimming, dancing, musical instrument, and life skills classes, etc.

Many centers in the province are enrolling students in cooking classes. This is a good course to help children have the necessary skills for life. Or the military semester model implemented by the Provincial Youth Union in recent years has attracted many families to let their children participate. Children not only have fun and communicate with friends during their military days but also practice living habits, eat and sleep on time and participate in many physical activities.

Summer vacation is also the time when parents have more time to be close to their children. The invisible distance between family members can be filled by playing sports with children or assigning children to do housework...

Summer is a precious time for children to observe, explore the world around them and have unforgettable memories, so parents should not consider this vacation a nightmare but turn it into an interesting time with their children. Children have the right to study but they also have the right to play, so they need to have a proper summer vacation.