VietNamNet Bridge – Busy parents in HCM City are frantically looking for places that can mind their children as school's out for summer. Options include sending the unlucky kids on military courses to giving them mobile phones and iPads.

Libraries in HCM City have few young visitors

School summer holidays generally start at the end of May and last for two months.

Hoang Thi Thu Ha, a local in Tan Phu District, said her house-keeper was tired from looking after two children while doing other housework. They tried to bring the kids along to work but had to arrange extra classes soon after.

"I registered them for foreign language and aptitude training classes. Just picking the kids up is already taking us a lot of time. And when we have free time, we'll bring them to supermarket or public pool," she said.

Another local Tran Thi Thuong said she had to take leave for a week to care for two children who were in kindergarten while waiting for help from her mother. She also registered aptitude training classes and other activities since both Thuong and her husband work late in the evening and only have Sunday free.

HCM City’s Hoang Van Thu and Gia Dinh have large playground for children. Libraries in the city also have various titles for the kids but only have few visitors as parents are too busy with work. Even outdoor activities or camping aren’t options for overly-protective parents. Some parents think the outdoor activities with other kids are pointless and they are uneasy when their children leave home for too long or are too far away.

As a result, parents are forcing their children to study thorough summer holiday and only give them brief entertainment from eating at restaurants, going to supermarkets or shopping centres.

DTriNews