Summer workshop funda

The 80s kids would recall killing time during their summer vacation loitering around grandma's garden or chatting up with colony folks on apartments' water tank. But kids today seem to have many more activities to keep them engaged during summer vacation. There are storytelling workshops, creative writing courses, theatre workshops, skating classes, cupcake making groups… the list has almost every activity one takes up at least once in one’s lifetime. But are these summer workshops really useful? Or are these just business ideas of smart entrepreneurs? Or is it a means for the parents to have something to talk and brag about with their peers?

While Jayawant had two reasons to opt for a summer class for his daughters, Sophia Benjamin, an image consultant, says that one major reason why she sent her daughter Shamyra to attend summer camp was to keep the little one “occupied”. Elaborating on why Shamyra had to join the summer classes last year, Sophia says, “Until last year, I had a full-time job, which is why I chose to send my seven years old to summer classes conducted by Glendale Academy. However, this year, since I do not work full-time and have more time on my hand, I didn’t feel the need to pack her off to a summer camp.” Unlike last year when the now Class II student learnt skating, dancing and singing at the camp, Shamyra, this year, learns Hindi at home, from her mother. “Since I am home, I take the opportunity to teach her Hindi,” Sophia adds.

For Seema Kedia, sending her son Raj to attend summer classes is a necessity to ensure he doesn’t get bored at home. “While Raj has friends in the apartment to keep him engaged playing different sports, the irony is those kids are also away, for brief duration of the day, attending summer workshops. This leaves me with no option but to send the Class VIII student to sports and skating coaching centre,” she shares.

According to Dr N N Raju, Superintendent at Government Hospital for Mental Care and professor of psychiatry at Andhra Medical College in Visakhapatnam, summer classes should mean a summer break, not a summer school. “It’s wise to admit the child in a summer class if the kid enjoys it. It’s foolish and cruel to send him off if he doesn’t enjoy the class. The whole idea of having a vacation is to help a kid get a refreshing break from the routine school life, either by enrolling him in a summer class or by allowing the child to stay back home,” he sums up. D