There are holidays. And then there are holidays. There are holidays at home with plenty of holiday homework. There are holidays in different places with fun things to do (or what grown ups consider fun). And there are holidays at your grandparents’ place, where no rules apply. Guess which one of the above is NOT a holiday?
For some reason, all grown ups want holidays to be educational. Learning experiences. WHY? Isn’t it enough that we have to spend eight hours a day, five days a week at school LEARNING THINGS? Apparently not.
Just in case we forget that the holiday is meant to be educational and enriching, there are some things which grown ups say over and over again. Here’s what I’d like to say in response, but just don’t have the guts to!
Look out of the window at the beautiful scenery!
Well, since I can’t play on a gadget in a moving vehicle, that is what I’m doing. It’s better than staring at the back of the head of whoever’s driving and trying to figure out if they have dandruff or not.
Are you observing the different buildings and styles of architecture?
Nope, but I can see some Golden Arches in the distance.
Does that count?
Ooh! Why don’t you try something local to eat? Expand your palate?
Expanding your palate should only be allowed after you’re 18 — like voting and driving.
That uncle there is cycling from Pune to Kanyakumari! Why don’t you go chat with him and find out more?
Soooo… talking to strangers is OK now? I’m confused here.
Well, why do we take you anywhere if all you want to do is watch television?
Hmm… does watching TV in new places count as broadening your horizons?
Have you ever seen such a beautiful building in your life?
Well, it kind of looks like the roof is going to fall on our head any second. Can we admire this from outside?
Have you ever seen such a beautiful painting in your life?
Wait! I draw a landscape and colour the sun purple and my teacher writes you a note. This dude draws a picture of a lady and puts her eyes and nose and mouth on one side of her face and it’s hanging in a museum? NOT FAIR!
Why don’t you maintain a holiday journal? It can be so much fun!
Can I do this as a video log and become a YouTuber and be rich and famous? No thanks, then.
You know when I was a child, I hardly ever got taken on holidays. I only went to my grandparents’ house.
Sorry, but gramps’ house is way more fun than this. Can we go there instead?
We’ll just leave you behind the next time we go on holiday, shall we?
But then who will you try to educate and give an enriching experience to? Please take us.
