Holidays: Pleasure or a problem?
This magic word – holidays! For most pupils and students holidays is a long-awaited relaxation, deserved reward and idleness feast rolled into one. As for parents, teachers and school education officials the issue of frequency and duration of holidays is quite debatable. Why so? What is good and bad about holidays?
Vacation from learning. Holidays were invented for students to have a break from their training. Undoubtedly, this function is performed. But here's the problem – it's even going beyond. That's nice when after the pains of learning fractions or spelling schoolkids can forget about everything and surrender to their favorite occupation – playing. What's bad that most of kids really forget everything during holidays. Knowledge absorbed with considerable effort is melting like snow in spring without practicing. That way, on the one hand holidays are needed in order to recharge; on the other hand, the foundation for the new challenges – prior knowledge – could collapse. In addition, some knowledge requires regular practice. This includes learning to read, studying foreign languages, or mathematics. However, this reverse side of the coin is a problem not only for schoolkids but for teachers as direct participants of the educational process as well. Sure, after holidays they have to not only review lessons, but often re-explain them and, hence, there is a risk to step out of the school plan.
Free time. That's wonderful when you can take it slow, rest from your labors! In this sense, the holidays really give a sense of freedom – especially from the boring daily routine, from the ‘musts’. On the other hand, when the holiday schedule is not arranged properly, kids often do not know what to do. That's why holidays seem exciting first, and a few days later they turn into a bleak awaiting of the new semester.
For this not to happen, parents must provide an interesting pastime during holidays. You can take this time for bonding, joint travels, active watching of movies (active means with discussion!), reading – again with discussion. You may devote holidays to long-planned things like remodeling of the nursery, making up a New Year party outfit or visiting a newborn cousin. But there's the rub for most parents. For not all can afford to spend enough time with the kid because of their busyness. Some settle the question by sending the child to a hobby group, on tour or to a children's camp. Others make arrangements with relatives and friends or hire nannies. However, involvement of someone from outside is also not always an option, as not every family can afford it.
Routine. Of course, it's awfully nice to neglect daily duties. Sleep as much as you like. Go to bed later than usual. No need to pack the schoolbag every evening. No need to iron a shirt for tomorrow's class in the gym, or to collect acorns and chestnuts for arts and crafts, or to braid hair early in the morning so that it doesn't hang loose during the classes. And many sweeter no’s, which are, however, as bad as sweets. For to have a rest is one thing, but to fall out of the usual schedule and after some time return to it can be a real challenge for the child. Some schoolkids have bad sleep during holidays or get bored, others tend to sail along for some time when classes start again that they fall behind in studies. You might deal with the problem by setting lightweight version of the daily routine instead of spinning wheels all day long – like the one usual for Sundays, before a new school week begins.
Speaking more globally, the habit of taking vacations, especially long ones, can play a low-down trick in adulthood. For it is very difficult to find a job where every few months you can take a break and the blessed summertime is free. But there's no way round holidays as well, especially in such a responsible matter as learning. So try just not to go too far either during the semester or on holidays.