Let Your Children Choose Their Own Holidays!

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 6, 18 August 1933, Page 47

Let Your Children Choose Their Own Holidays!

SCHOOL holidays are at hand again and the old, old question of "what to do with the brats" crops up. Whether it is cheaper to keep them home with occasional picnics and. visits to the pictures or to take a cottage in the country and let them run wild is a debatable point. But Mabel Ellams Hope, writing in the London "Morning Post," advances a new idea-the idea of letting your children choose their holidays for themselves. Below is her story and it might have possibilities for the mother who finds that her conception of the ideal way of ‘spending the holidays is not her children’s.

WHATEVER faults may be attributed to modern parents, adequate provision is certainly made by them for the amusement of their children. This is an admirable policy, and, some ten years hence, there will be very few young people plunging into an indiscruninate whirl of gaiety simply as a reaction against

repression. By giving our children freedom and -regular amuscment we are helping to ensure for them a sense of proportion. So far, so good. But is it not possible that in so assiduously planning their pleasures for ‘them we force them into certain forms of "enjoyment" which they _appear to accept gladly only: out of their courtesy and appreciation of "grown-up" efforts? For your average child is essentially courteous and. appreciative . and. as IT ‘have’ sometimes found, goes to great lengths not to hurt one’s feelings. Sometimes I have gone to considerable trouble to plan a cinema expedition for my children, only to find-from a_ subsequent chance remark dranned hy ane ar the

ume MErr ts "fF SON Ne ee other-that they would have been much happier in the garden. Nevertheless, they have accompanied me with convincing protestations of gratitude. In the same way, when I recently remarked upon the prospect of an elaborate touring holiday for the family, I was astonished by one bold spirit announcing that, if I had no objection, she would much prefer to do what we did last year-which was merely to spend a few weeks at a comparatively uninspring seaside resort. She said that she had been looking forward to it since her previous visit; and the others, though realising the possibility of unsuspected glories and adven-

tures in the tour, wefe somewhat divided in their enthusiasm. This being 50, it struck me as a_ possible solution of this annual problem to allow children to choose their own holidays. Of course, there are many obstacles in the way of the perfect fulfilment of this idea-obstacles which will leap to the mind of

every parent. Nevertheless, the principle might be adopted, if only experimentally, for a short holiday. It is easy to consult an "only" child and ascertain if his cher‘ished ideas are likely to prove practical; but with two or more children the matter is rather complicated. The best plan would be to let them go into "committee," and thresh out all the pros and cons before submitting the result of their voting to their parents. Needless to say, the children should have a basic understanding of finance and realise that suggestions ‘of a trip to the Sahara would not be warmly received. But, if they have a modicum of common sense and reasonable ideas ‘of what constitutes a holiday, there is no

reason why the plan I have outlined should not result in the children achieving a real holiday. Here and there, of course, there may be an. outlaw who. agrees with Mr. Bernard Shaw that "the majority is always wrong,’ but the tactful parent will deal with and explain the principle of "the greatest good for the greatest number." . In the meantime 1 am sure that I am going to have the satisfaction of ' feeling that every pound spent on this year’s holiday is buying a pound’s worth of real joy. ;