Summer vacation is here! Present-day children are extremely versatile in their approach and are resourceful with their ideas. The ways they can participate and engage at home are ways too many. Athena Global School always encourages the students to develop their own set of organisers. When our children get to know their vacation, whenever it is, they ask for a timetable. A participatory prepared timetable helps the family and the children to have a routine life – without missing on, following up on education, physical exercises, games, entertainment, and general well-being. It also allows parents and other caregivers to plan their schedules and have the safety net diligently.
Other ways to help the family are: to keep one’s room tidy and keep the house clean, make one’s bed, and learn to make one’s bed if already not done. This personal hygiene supports everyone in the family. As an eco-conscious child, children can help water the plants if there are or grow a few outside or within the house. As the children will be able to observe their parents during the holidays very closely, at least once a week they must thank and appreciate their parents for the hard work the parents put in. A sense of gratitude will take them a long way in life.
Children also can build certain life skills during the period which will also contribute to the family. For example, helping in the kitchen with cleaning or preparing vegetables for cooking, cleaning the dishes, and occasionally getting to learn simple dishes from their parents or others. One of the ways our child contributes is, he cleans the table after everyone completes their food.
Another excellent way to contribute to the family is by having a piggy bank for small savings. Annually, this can be a great contribution to the family, or it can be a saving for the future. One final thing. Beyond the family, the children may pursue something that requires group engagement – as it promotes socialization and leadership outside the organized environment of the school. This helps the community where they live while they pick on aspects of communication, problem-solving, negotiation skills, management, and planning. May be on the environment, health, sanitation, lifestyle, etc. Our daughter has organized a band of six girls, and they have begun doing a weekly shop within our community during this summer vacation – following all processes: market analysis, permissions, cost analysis, production, marketing, distribution, and sales, along the way building an engaging community and family.
-Mrs. Puthumai Nazarene, Parent of Vasudha of Grade VI
