I could find a lot of advertisements of various activities and summer camps for kids during this summer vacation. As the parents are over concerned about the development of their kids, they enroll them to such programmes. The increased number of advertisements shows that it has now become a trend. We need to think whether such programmes really help our children. By parents planning their holidays we don't give an opportunity to the kids to unfold their potentials and discover what is their interest. Even if parents make an accurate judgment about their interest while kids are asked to perform in a controlled environment which is no less than a school assignment . For eg., a child may be very much interested in drawing and the parents send the child to a drawing class with good intention. When the child is asked to draw a particular picture in a stipulated time under the supervision may not make the child cheerful. The child may draw more pictures in less time with more perfection when he does it by his own interest. That is the result of his/her passion for the same. The guidance will definitely develop the innate abilities.I want to mention the other side of the coin, which is the structure of these programmes may create an aversive mentality towards those in which they are really gifted.
If parents spend all their time filling up their child’s spare time, then the child’s never going to learn to do this for themselves. Unfortunately, camp can be a lot of fun, but not all children will enjoy it. Some children prefer to be at home with their parents and in the comfort of their room. Other kids have a hard time socializing or being around other kids of their age where they don’t know anyone. Consider your child’s best interests when deciding if camp is the best idea for them. Kids have opportunities to learn about the world and their place in it without going to camp. They can engage in cultural activities, visiting libraries and museums, trips to see relatives,doing volunteer work and explore the nature. They may learn many things from parents staying with them during non-school going days by helping them in their various activities. Parents may be engaging in an escapism of training their kids or outsourcing their responsibilities.
Usually parents fear that kids may get bored if they are not engaged. Getting bored is not something bad as we think. Psychologists consider capacity to be bored as a developmental achievement for the child since it leads to creativity. Boredom gives ‘internal stimulus’ which is manifested as creativity. Being bored is a way to make children self-reliant. Children need to learn how to be bored in order to motivate themselves to get things done.Let our children be bored in their holidays and make their plans on their own.