Let the children know

In the first days of summer vacation, every afternoon, the children in the village would gather to play in the open space at the beginning of the village. They often played with tops and spinning tops, but sometimes they also played “racing cars” made of bamboo and wood, and sometimes the children were allowed to sit on banana leaves or areca leaves for the older children to pull. Some children borrowed their parents’ phones and went to places with wifi to “surf the internet”, but these luxurious pleasures were not common.

Ky Son children play homemade car racing game. Photo: Minh Quan

Playing in one place for too long is boring, so the children often invite each other to the streams and creeks. It is more fun there. When it is hot, they jump into the cool water, and they can invite each other to catch crabs and fish, and pick moss to make food. During the summer, the children in the mountains help their parents with many things, from going to the forest to get bamboo shoots and vegetables, to burning the fields to sow seeds... but when they go down to the streams and creeks, they mainly play and have fun.

Summer in mountainous areas is also the rainy season. Water levels in rivers and streams often rise very quickly. Not to mention the flash floods that rumble from upstream. And this poses a great risk to young children. However, it is often difficult for parents in remote villages to separate their children from the dangerous environment that threatens their health. Many villages, even with just one rain, are isolated by the water, becoming oases. There are many cases of children drowning or being swept away by floodwaters on their way to school.

Compared to a few years ago, life in my village is much better now. There are still some hungry households in the village, but not as many as before. The way people care for and raise their children is also very different, much more advanced than before. Therefore, it is very difficult for the villagers to have a place for their children to play in the summer. Families who are well-off and "rich" can take them to Vinh city or Cua Lo beach for a few days in the summer. That's it. Back to the mountains, rivers and streams.

Children and their parents visit Uncle Ho's hometown. Photo: Huy Thu

Villagers hope that in the summer, cadres and youths at the commune, district and provincial levels will come to the village to teach the children more skills in environmental survival; and create conditions for children from remote villages to visit and study in some places. Thereby, improving their knowledge and motivating them to study. We know that every year, the school organizes field trips for excellent students and good children, but this number is very small. If it is too difficult, the villagers are willing to contribute a little more money.