JOIN USAs another ‘Children’s Day’ approaches, the fact that the youth is India’s future holds more significance now than ever. With activities planned across schools, playgrounds, malls and other venues, children are looking forward to this day with great excitement. In a chat with ‘Metrolife’, some of these young and confident school-goers make no bones about their wishes.
Innocence largely written on their faces, the only bugbear in their lives, according to them, are the frequent exams. So, “give us one day without academics,” requests Ananaya R, a seventh grade student of Sudarshan Vidya Mandir. She goes on with a smiling face, “We take part in various cultural programmes all the time. But on this day, we want our teachers to perform onstage. We just want to be the audience. The teachers should walk the ramps and we want to judge them. The teachers should also be prohibited from yelling at any of us on this special day.”
Grateful for the day, she feels that the schools conduct award ceremonies for kids to encourage them to work for a better future.
While the day is all about fun and frolic, this day is also a reminder to the rest of the country to work towards the betterment of children. And demanding betterment is Ankush, a 10th standard student of Delhi Public School.
“Our education system should concentrate more on practical activities than just theory and stuff that is meant to be memorised. We have a lot of exams when it comes to academics, which is more of a burden than of any benefit. There should be limited exams, the schools should focus on more enlightening activities, nature walks and other such interactive stuff.”
A sports lover, he also looks forward to participating in sports events on this day.
Neha Elizabeth Sunil, a student of Ryan International School, looks out for a more meaningful celebration. “The kids of private schools should visit the underprivileged and specially-abled children and share joyous moments. We should be allowed to share food and given a chance to spend quality time with them,” she says. Nursing the dream of becoming an oncologist, she wants to provide a helping hand to the cancer patients in the country and work for their betterment. “My grandmother passed away last year and in memory of her, I want to become an oncologist and help people,” she says.
The most energetic of the group, Fardeen of Bishop Cotton Boy’s School and Vidush of Sudarshan Vidya Mandir want Children’s Day to be filled with fun. Fardeen, with a grin, says that he wishes for a children’s party at school while Vidush wants an interaction with the alumni of the school.
“There should be a gathering of the alumni on this day and we need to have interaction sessions, which would help us carve out our paths,” says Vidush. “I want the teachers to hold a fashion show for us and it should be a day of sports,” says Fardeen heartily.
Overflowing with positive energy is Adithi, an eight standard student of BGS LPS, who says, “We should be allowed to wear coloured clothes on this day. The entire day should be made special for us. This can happen only if there are no classes conducted on this day.”
For Children’s Day, six-year-old Jia Abraham has a long wishlist. “I want toys; I want to go to the mall with my friends and play there. But I want my mumma to be there with me as well.” She also wants to go to the Bel St. Cafe and eat her favourite egg and cheese
sandwich and chocolate temptation cake.
She adds, “When I grow up, I want to become an astronaut and go to space and live there for many years.” Clearly, the youth of tomorrow are brimming with positive energy and hold optimistic dreams for a bright future.