School in summer of ’22: Attending classes is no child’s play!
Armed with cooling drinks and plans to kick off an early summer vacation, parents and teachers in the Capital are helping children brave #DilliKiGarmi.
As Delhi reels under severe heatwave conditions with The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting no relief before Monday, parents in the city are concerned about the health of their school-going young ones. In a bid to help their children keep up with their daily routine of classes and outdoor co-curriculars, many parents and even teachers are going the extra mile to make going to school bearable in #DilliKiGarmi.
One of the major concerns in summer is dehydration. Gaurav Jhingan, a resident of north Delhi’s Kalyan Vihar, shares how he sticks to giving plain water to his daughter — a student of nursery in GD Goenka Public School, Model Town — and doesn’t believe in adding artificial flavours. He adds, “It’s really hot and kids are having a difficult time. We make sure our daughter stays hydrated throughout the day. She doesn’t step outside without a water bottle and umbrella. Rest, fortunately, the school takes care of. Additionally, Covid-19 cases are also gradually rising in the city. So I feel for offline classes, children should be called in batches on alternate days.”
Echoing a similar sentiment, Ghaziabad resident Mamta Bisht, a mother of two school-going children, says, “I ensure their daily nutrient requirements is fulfilled. Making kids drink water doesn’t work all the time, so I give them plenty of water-rich fruits that balance their daily nutrient requirements.”
It’s not only the parents who are looking out for the children, but also their teachers. Sunita Thapa, a nursery teacher at Apeejay School, Saket, says, “The campus has a lot of greenery, which helps. Other than that, we provide students with summer coolers. Also, we are starting our summer vacations early this year to keep the kids safe.”
Similarly, Aashana Kalia, who teaches nursery class at Ramjas International School, RK Puram, says, “My students are three or four year olds. To make sure they don’t get exposed to the sun, we complete the outdoor activities in the morning. Additionally, they are reminded to drink water every half an hour.”
Author tweets @AngelaPaljor
