Every year, November 14 is celebrated as Children’s Day on the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. But in today’s fast-paced and highly competitive world, do children get to fully enjoy their childhood? And does every child has a luxury of celebrating the special day? HT interacted with children across the city to know what children’s day means to them.
A day of relief from studies
For children at the Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, it is a day to take time off from studies.
Hardik, a student of Class-2, of the school says, “November 14 is the most fun day as we do not have to study and can enjoy the celebrations at school.” Older students of the school, meanwhile, are worried about how long they will be able to enjoy their childhood.
“There is so much pressure of studies on us. After we complete our studies, the worry of getting a job will take over. When will we enjoy?” said, Samyak, a Class-12 student of the school. “Life is not all about winning, we need to learn to live life and find happiness,” he adds.
His school mate Chehak quips, “The ever increasing competition is robbing us of our childhood. The pressure of competition affects not only us, but our parents and teachers too.”
{{/usCountry}}His school mate Chehak quips, “The ever increasing competition is robbing us of our childhood. The pressure of competition affects not only us, but our parents and teachers too.”
{{/usCountry}}A special day for special students
Meanwhile, students of the Institute for Blind, Sector 26, are excited about Children’s Day as they will be putting up a band performance on the special day.
When asked about how they see their childhood, the children of the institute said, “Childhood is the time when we can fully enjoy ourselves without any worries and focus on just studying and playing.”
Spare a thought for the under privileged
HT also interacted with children living with their families on the roadside. For nine-year-old Pooja, its just another day. She has never celebrated Children’s Day and never even heard about it.
For Geeta, 10, childhood is not about all play and fun. As a child living on the roads, she has a constant fear of being separated from their parents—either by the administration or by anti-social elements.