THE school break is upon us once more. It is the time of year when everyone is in a festive mood as we welcome the new year.
Don’t let the school holidays be a time to push children and load them with school work, tuition and classes.
Children nowadays lug heavy backpacks to and from school. After finishing school for the day, many go for tuition and only return home late in the evening.
There are also children who go for music, art or piano lessons during the weekends.
We cannot blame parents, as in this challenging and competitive age, they want to give their children every possible advantage.
Hopefully, these young minds will acquire a skill or two that will benefit them in their later years.
My granddaughter, who has completed Year Two, is staying with my wife and me for the three-week holidays as her parents are working.
We give her daily lessons but these are kept to a minimum. When she is done, she gets to enjoy herself by watching her favourite cartoon programmes on television.
She also gets to be pampered. We create a stress-free environment that she relishes and always looks forward to.
While it is important to allow children to relax and enjoy their break, it is equally crucial to keep a watchful eye on them at all times, as they may get into mischief.
For instance, some parents let their children wander around on bicycles or allow them to go swimming without supervision. This should not be happening, as we have heard of many cases of children meeting with fatal accidents or drowning.
The challenges of raising children are many, and they include keeping them safe from crime.
The harsh reality is that parents must be vigilant at all times because danger lurks in every corner, including online.
We have to monitor their use of handphones and be aware of who they are interacting with in the digital space.
The school holidays are meant for children to unwind.
While we should not burden them with lessons and activities, we must stay alert to their surroundings and make sure that they are having a good time safely.
THIAGAN MATHIAPARANAM
Retired teacher
Klang
