To prevent city children from experiencing a "lonely summer"

At 8 a.m., while many parents are busy leaving home to start a new workday, a considerable number of city children are beginning their summer vacation in a state of "self-reliance."

Every summer, behind the worry about playgrounds comes the pressure on urban families: not knowing where to send their children, how to keep them safe, and how to keep them away from technological addiction.

Summer "on the screen"

With her son, who is in 4th grade, having just started his summer vacation a few days ago, Ms. Nguyen Thu Huong from Thanh Xuan ward, Hanoi, is already having a headache finding daytime childcare for him.

Students at Tran Phu Primary School in Ha Dong district enthusiastically participate in the hobby club. Photo: Ngoc Minh

"My husband and I both work from morning till night. Our parents live far away, and hiring a babysitter is expensive and I don't feel comfortable leaving the children alone at home. Summer is even more stressful for me than the school year," Hương shared.

According to Ms. Huong, every year her family has to improvise with various temporary solutions: sometimes sending the children to relatives' houses, sometimes enrolling them in life skills classes, and other times leaving them at home with a tablet.

"What I fear most is children becoming addicted to their phones. Just a few hours of inattention from adults and children can watch videos constantly, play games, or be exposed to inappropriate content," she said.

That concern is also a common sentiment among many urban parents today. In the hustle and bustle of work, not every family has the means to take their children on vacation or spend time with them throughout the summer.

Mr. Tran Minh Duc, from Ha Dong ward, said that he and his wife had considered sending their children back to their hometown for summer vacation, but their grandparents were too old to manage the two energetic children. "Leaving them at home is risky due to accidents, fires, and electrical and plumbing issues. Sending them to too many extra classes makes me feel sorry for them, depriving them of their childhood. Sometimes I feel that what city children lack most these days is someone to play with," Mr. Duc confided.

In many apartment complexes in Hanoi, children's playgrounds still have slides, swings, and seesaws, but they are quite deserted in the afternoons. Instead, the familiar sight is children sitting indoors with their phones, TVs, or tablets.

Basketball lesson for students at Tran Phu Primary School, Ha Dong. Photo: Ngoc Minh

Many parents admit that technology devices are becoming "unwilling babysitters" during the summer. Ms. Nguyen Phuong Lan from Kien Hung ward recounted that her daughter used to stay up until 1 or 2 a.m. watching videos online during the summer break.

"Initially, I just thought it would be a little entertainment for my child, but gradually she became dependent on the phone. Without it, she becomes irritable, reluctant to socialize, and unwilling to go outside," she said.

Psychologists believe that excessive and prolonged exposure to technology devices not only affects children's eyesight and health but also impairs their communication, social connection, and self-protection skills.

More worryingly, without adult supervision, children are at risk of facing numerous online dangers such as harmful content, online scams, or psychological abuse.

Not only online, but summer is also a time when accidents and injuries among children increase, such as drowning, electric shock, traffic accidents, falls from apartment buildings, etc. Many heartbreaking incidents that have occurred recently share a common point: children lack attention and supervision during the summer break.

We need safe and healthy playgrounds during the summer.

In light of this situation, many localities, organizations, and schools have proactively implemented summer activities to create a safe and healthy environment for children.

Children participating in summer activities in Residential Area 25, Kien Hung Ward. Photo: Ngoc Minh

In many wards and communes in Hanoi, summer activity classes, children's clubs, life skills classes, and experiential activities are regularly maintained throughout the holiday. These activities not only provide children with places to play but also help reduce their dependence on electronic devices and lessen the risk of accidents when children are left at home without adult supervision.

Ms. Le Thi Ha Anh, Head of the Neighborhood Group and Secretary of the Youth Union of Neighborhood Group 25, Kien Hung Ward, Hanoi, said that the neighborhood currently has about 500 households with nearly 200 children in the age group for summer activities. To create a beneficial playground for the children, the Youth Union, in coordination with the Housing Management Board, organizes community activities in the evenings, attracting children to participate in outdoor play instead of spending too much time on phones or electronic devices.

"We organize many activities such as reading books, folk games, instruction on drowning prevention skills, fire safety, and escape skills... The goal is to help children have a beneficial and safe summer so that parents can have more peace of mind," shared Ms. Le Thi Ha Anh.

Not only in residential areas, but many schools are also beginning to change their approach to organizing summer activities. Schools are building experiential clubs focused on developing skills and talents such as STEM, sports, arts, life skills, or reading culture, attracting a large number of students to participate.

At Tran Phu Primary School in Ha Dong ward, starting from June 8th, many hobby clubs such as music classes, aerobics, creative art, digital citizenship skills and AI technology, chess, junior MCs, and a reading club are active, creating an environment for students to interact, exercise, and explore themselves. The school has provided good facilities for these clubs, under the continuous supervision of teachers to ensure the safety of the children.

Teacher Phuong Thi Thin, Principal of Tran Phu Primary School, shared: “What children need during the summer is not only knowledge but also opportunities to communicate, exercise, and experience. Many parents strongly support summer clubs because their children have a safe environment, can interact with friends, and reduce their dependence on electronic devices.”

Summer is a time for children to grow through real-life experiences, through connections with family, friends, and the surrounding community. Therefore, it's not just important to open more playgrounds, but also to build safe and healthy environments where children can truly enjoy themselves.

Achieving this requires the joint efforts of families, schools, local authorities, and social organizations. When children have places to go, activities to participate in, and are equipped with self-protection skills, summer truly becomes a meaningful time, instead of a constant source of worry for many urban families.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/de-tre-em-thanh-pho-khong-trai-qua-mua-he-co-don-976538.html