Your children should definitely be revising their schoolwork when it’s the school year.
But what about the holidays?
You know, I once conversed with a woman who was from the US countryside.
And she was telling me how shocked she was when she met her Singaporean neighbour heading to Kumon on the weekend, during the December holidays!
“It’s the holidays! Don’t they ever let their children take a break here? Oh my goodness, she’s only in Primary 5!” She said, with her eyes wide and her hands flailing around. Honestly, she looked like she was about to faint.
And, no. The answer to that question, Mrs. Davis, is no. The students here can’t ever catch a break, probably until they’ve reached tertiary education!
But why is that the case? And are we working our children too hard?
After all, isn’t childhood the time to relax, dip your feet in the water, and roll around in mud? If our children don’t even get to relax as children, then when can they?
And, is all of this really necessary?
Why Singaporeans Are Hard-Working
Of course, I’m with you, parents! We all know how competitive Singapore is.
Someone else will come in and take the first place if your child isn’t doesn’t get it.
So working hard in your studies isn’t an option; it’s a must here. After all, Singapore isn’t the third smartest country by chance; it was through hard work.
And with our system of meritocracy here, working hard in your studies is always seen as the basis for achieving success in the future.
Furthermore, don’t forget about our ‘kiasu culture’.
We’re all afraid of losing out. Let’s be honest! To our colleagues, neighbours, and for many of us, even our siblings and close friends are our rivals. We don’t admit it, but it’s true.
So even if we don’t push our kids, they’ll push themselves because they’re afraid to lose out.
Yes, They Should Still Revise Their Work During The Holidays
So of course, they should still be revising their schoolwork during the holidays!
And I can’t deny it. There are relevant and appropriate reasons to do it.
Firstly, it reinforces what they learnt that year in school. I’m sure most of us cram everything before the exam and forget everything by the next week already, right?
So revising throughout the holidays will let them retain the information they learnt last year, and this will prepare them for the next school year.
After all, you need a strong foundation to build a building on top, right? And if your child needs extra help, SmileTutor can help!
Furthermore, revising during the holiday also develops good habits for lifelong learning and discipline in your child!
But It’s The Holidays After All! So They Shouldn’t Be Revising!
Your child has already been studying non-stop for the last 5 months or so. Can’t you allow a break?
Because mental burnout is a real issue that can affect even kids! If your child is burnt out during the holiday, it could drag on and affect their performance in school the next year.
Most people don’t realise this, but mental burnout can also manifest into physical symptoms. After all, don’t we tend to get headaches, sleepless nights, and stomachaches during a stressful period?
And when we’re under a prolonged period of stress and want to finally relax, our body could experience delayed stress! So don’t let the stress drag on for too long, or your child’s overall health will suffer.
And whatever happened to pursuing hobbies and interests?
Your child should have at least one, right? Whether it’s football, reading, or watching superhero movies, I’m sure it had to take a backseat the last few months.
So let them revel in their youthful freedom and give them the pleasure of being able to indulge in their hobbies now!
Lastly, being able to take a break during the holidays will also teach your children how to…actually take a break!
I know this is quite a revolutionary concept to most Singaporeans. But people, it can be done.
So how can your child strike a balance between revising their work and taking a break during the holidays?
How To Strike A Balance
It’s not very common for Singaporeans to take a long break. When was the last long break you had?
So remind your child to take a break and that it’s OK. And if you don’t deem it long enough, then keep them distracted.
Give them tasks to do. Anything to keep them out of the books. Ask them to get you some milk from NTUC or whatever!
Create a schedule for them too. Lay out a big calendar somewhere everyone can see, and list down the days they’ll have to go for tuition, do their self-revision, and the days that they get to go out and have fun.
Having a visual log and representation makes it easy for you and them to keep track of how many days they’ve spent cooped up at home and how often they’ve been getting their vitamin D from the sun!
Lastly, remember to spend time with them!
Everything was always more fun when our parents joined us in doing them, right? At least when we were younger, it was…
Conclusion
As you can see, there are relevant reasons as to why your child should still be picking up their books or having tutoring sessions during the holidays.
But parents, please remember that it’s still their holiday after all, which is a right, not a privilege.
And even if taking a break during their holidays is a privilege, they have earned the right to it too.
Besides, wouldn’t it be cool to be the parents that all of your child’s friends call “the cool one who lets their child take a break”?
So throw the bottle of sunscreen to your child and push them out of the house this holiday!
Facebook