Summer may be one long break for children, but parents seem to be struggling to find enough to keep their kids occupied.

Many children won’t have a holiday this summer

Parents in big cities throughout the country are desperately searching for safe places to leave their children while they work.

While 10 days off for preschool children may create problems for parents, the long holidays given to primary schoolchildren are an even greater burden.

Dangers

Nguyen Thi Hong’s family won’t forget May 29 for a long time. Hong’s four year-old daughter, Pham Nhat Anh, disappeared after playing with her grandfather. She remained missing until later in the day when she returned accompanied by a neighbour who had taken her shopping.

Many other parents have experienced similar incidents over the summer.

Hong Hanh, from Hanoi’s Dong Anh District, said, “I have two children, the first is in 3rd grade and the second at preschool age. They don’t want to stay cooped up at home all day, they want to go out and play. Luckily, we live with our parents who can help us take care of them while we are at work. My neighbours aren’t so lucky. They’ve been struggling to find a baby sitter, but it’s not easy. They’ve had to send their children to their home in the northern province of Tuyen Quang.”

Children in big cities are often forced to stay at home during their holidays as their parents continue working. Often they will leave their older children in charge of the younger ones.

Children in rural areas are allowed to go out to play but are more exposed to risks.

Lack of childcare provision

In order to help take care of children during the summer, several child care centres have opened, but demand is far greater than can be met.

Le Quang Tuan, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Children’s Palace, said it was impossible to take on all the children who wanted to attend the centre.

According to Tuan, during the three-month summer holiday, children at the palace can join special training courses which are designed to foster their intelligence and creativity, as well as having plenty of time for fun. The courses cost VND2.3 million (USD106) per child.

Minh Anh, who sends her child to the palace, said, “Despite the high fees, we feel confident sending our child there, as they also pick up useful skills.”

In the meantime, many children in Hanoi who are on the doorstep of primary education are sent to unofficial tutors. Despite fees as high as VND100,000 (USD4.85) a class for their children’s extra learning, parents find few other places they trust.

Those unlucky children who lack parents with sufficient time to spend playing with them seem consigned to another long summer of studying, while their friends make the most of the summer break to have fun.