Children play flying kites in the rice fields. Photo: TIEU DIEN
Every summer, many families in urban areas worry about what their children should learn and play to ensure a fun summer filled with experiences and essential life skills. Many families enroll their children in preparatory classes for the new school year or in extracurricular activities; some choose to send their children back to their grandparents in the countryside. Sending children back to the countryside for summer not only provides them with life experience, opportunities to play, and a chance to connect with their hometown, but also strengthens their bonds with their community. With each passing summer, children grow physically and mature emotionally.
During the summer, Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Huong, residing in Rach Gia ward, took her children to her maternal grandparents' home in the countryside to play. Ms. Huong's hometown is about 70km from Rach Gia, making travel convenient. Ms. Huong shared: “My husband and I see the summer days in the countryside as an opportunity for our children to relax and have fun after a year of studying. We don't put much emphasis on extra summer classes. When they're in the countryside, I feel more at ease because they're less likely to be engrossed in electronic devices or face the hustle and bustle of traffic. I hope they get more exercise, have the chance to explore the world around them, and learn life skills from real-life experiences in the countryside.”
According to Ms. Huong, after months of stressful studying, her children really enjoy the summer break when they get to go back to their hometown to play. Every year, at the end of the school year, her two sons eagerly look forward to going back to their grandparents' village. In the countryside, the children are delighted because they can run around freely, play with their siblings and friends, and enjoy many interesting things in the peaceful village that are unavailable in the city. Having lived with their grandparents many times, her children are used to the customs and quickly adapt to the pace of life there.
Tran Nhat Khanh, the son of Ms. Huong, shared that he is happy because every summer vacation his parents let him go back to his hometown to visit his grandparents, see his cousins, and play with his friends in the neighborhood. Every day, Khanh wakes up early to go to the market with his grandparents to buy food and snacks, then goes to the garden and fields with his grandfather to catch fish, crabs, and snails. In the afternoon, Khanh rides his bike, plays soccer, flies kites with his friends, and his grandfather even teaches him how to swim. "What I like most are going fishing with my grandfather and enjoying the dishes my grandmother cooks. I hope to go back to my hometown every summer," Khanh said.
During the summer, Ms. Vo Kim Dan, residing in Rach Gia ward, lets her child enjoy a summer vacation by taking her to her maternal grandparents' home. Despite her busy work schedule, Ms. Dan always takes 5 days off during the summer to bring her child to visit them. For Ms. Dan, the days spent with her daughter in the countryside have significantly changed her child's personality; she has become more understanding. After each summer vacation, her daughter learns more about the world around her, her communication skills improve, and she proactively shares and helps with household chores with her parents.
Ms. Dan said that going back to the countryside helps her children live in a clean environment and stay away from electronic devices. During their time in the countryside, the children help their grandparents with small tasks such as watering vegetables, harvesting fruit, and feeding chickens and ducks... "These experiences help my children understand the value of labor and learn to share work with adults. They learn many new things, and know the names of many vegetables, fruits, and animals that they had only read about in books before. I think sending children back to the countryside for summer vacation is a beneficial experience for them," Ms. Dan said.
Summer in the countryside is a meaningful vacation that provides children with memorable experiences, allowing them to recharge their energy, enrich their life experiences, and nurture their souls.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/cho-con-ve-que-don-he-a488419.html
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