I am back and would like to share my thoughts on a topic that I am sure that most parents across the country are thinking about. Its Summer time and I just heard that we are in for hotter days ahead of us. In fact I heard that a few days back Delhi has experienced its hottest days in the last 52 years. Now I would call that some heat. In the midst of such sweltering heat, I am sure that exams would be over in most of the schools and most of the people must be planning their vacation or trying to have their kids enrolled in some sort of a Summer Course.

I am of the opinion that most of these Summer Courses do not benefit the Children in any way, other than asking the kids to draw a few Circles or Squares on MS Paint and then have them to color the same. So where does the solution lie on what to do with the Children. Herein I would like to reflect upon what I would do in my Summer Vacations.

I was a voracious reader of Books and Comics. Right from the time the vacations would start I would be engulfed in the World of Books. Imagination would fly high when I read books of Enid Blyton like Famous Five and Secret Seven or Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew. I along with my friends would get so involved in reading these books that we would form a group trying to solve non existing mysteries, casting an eye on ordinary people who looked suspicious to us, in the process getting into unwarranted problems, resulting in a showdown with the elders. The Enid Blyton Books always triggered a Childs imagination.

I still remember books like Naughty Amelia Jane-once again an Enid Blyton series. Very imaginative and so close to realistic. Basically a Book about a Doll that comes to life along with all her Toy friends in the night when everyone goes to sleep. Then there was Noddy and his friend Big Ears in Toyland. I just fell in love with Noddys Yellow Car and dreamed about owning the car one such day. In fact arguments with my father would center on: When Noddy as a Kid can own a Car then why cant I??

But there was nothing to beat Tintin and his friends, the temperamental Captain Haddock, the absent minded Professor Calculus and the clumsy yet comical twins Thomson & Thomson. I would wait for each and every new title. This is one series which in its narrative was so close to a movie like description. You could closely relate to each and every character, the entire book would be lapped up in half an hour’s time. I would almost feel the urge to go on to the next page. All of a sudden after the unfortunate demise of Herge, the Tintin series came to an end; however the published ones are still in demand in any popular Book store in the City.

Theres so much to write about especially as far as books are concerned. Books can be a Childs valuable companion and an asset for life. There is no better for triggering your Childs creativity than by introducing the child to the world of Books and there is no better time than right now: The Summer Vacations.