Summer for the kids in the boarding house

Summer is a time for children to rest and play after a school year. For many, it's a time for family trips, extracurricular activities, or visiting grandparents in their hometowns. However, for children living in boarding houses, summer is often confined to the small courtyard in front of their rooms and games with friends in the neighborhood.

Ms. Phan Thi Kim Cuong (from An Giang province) takes the opportunity to tie her child's hair before going to work.

The row of rented rooms is located in a small alley in Nhut Chanh commune, Ben Luc district, Long An province. In the mornings, it's deserted because most of the adults have gone to work, leaving only a few children sitting on the verandas of the rented rooms – this is their summer "playground".

At just 6 a.m., Nguyen Thi Kim Xoan (9 years old) - the daughter of Phan Thi Kim Cuong (from An Giang province) - was already awake, sitting in her room folding paper into airplane shapes. Ms. Cuong woke up at 4 a.m. to cook rice to take to work and to save for her daughter at home. Around noon, her daughter just needed to take it out to eat and then play with her friends from the boarding house.

"My child is 9 years old this year and knows how to take care of himself, but honestly, I'm still worried. My husband and I work all the time, so there's no one at home to look after him. Luckily, there are many women in the boarding house who often keep an eye on him and remind him when they see him playing dangerous games," Ms. Cuong shared.

Not only Kim Xoan, but many other children in the boarding house were in a similar situation. During the summer , they didn't attend boarding school and didn't have the opportunity to go to extracurricular classes, so they usually organized games within the boarding house. Sometimes they would argue and get angry with each other, but then they would invite each other to play again because there was no one else around.

Children who stay alone in the boarding house usually play together.

In these rented accommodations, which are mostly occupied by factory workers and laborers, not everyone has the means to send their children back to their hometowns. Many parents have to rely on nearby tenants to look after their children, especially those with elderly people or children of the same age to play with.

Early in the morning, before going to work, Ms. Phan Thi Bich Phuong (from Ben Tre province) asks the owner of the convenience store at the end of her row of rented rooms to look after her child until she returns. "Having someone at home to keep an eye on my child while I'm at work makes me less worried. In my rented room, I clean up and put away all potentially dangerous items like knives, scissors, lighters, and the gas cylinder valve," Ms. Phuong explained.

There are also families who have no other choice but to have the older child look after the younger one, like the family of Mr. Do Ngoc Be (from Can Tho City). Mr. Be has two children, one in 9th grade and the other only 3 years old. During the summer, he and his wife still have to work overtime, so the older child stays home to take care of the younger one. "Big sister, remember to feed your little brother, turn on the fan, and don't let him go out in the sun, okay?" Mr. Be instructed his child before hurrying off to work. Even at a young age, these children learn to take care of themselves, share with each other, and protect one another.

To ensure children in boarding houses have a safer and more meaningful summer, in addition to the efforts of each family, attention from local authorities and organizations is essential. Organizing playgrounds, classes, or summer activities on-site is a practical solution that contributes to giving the children a truly meaningful vacation.

Thi My

Source: https://baolongan.vn/mua-he-cua-nhung-dua-tre-trong-khu-tro-a197564.html