I am writing this entry on top of my math homework. I have no wish to see any more homework for the rest of the year. I do not want to hear about next year's work, next year's functions, next year's subjects or next year's pressure.

They tell us every year that the next year will be harder, as a matter of fact, they do not merely tell us, they hammer it into us, even before the holidays have started! And, of course, being natural worriers, what do we spend the rest of the supposed holidays doing?

Tuition, tuition, tuition. Tuition that parents send their children for after hearing from other parents that Miss so-and-so's teaching is simply terrible and that next year's syllabus is going to be so much harder, and that if anyone wanted their children to get into a good Junior College, they had better send them for tuition to make sure they don't fall behind.

Now, I'm not against taking advice from perhaps more experienced parents, I'm merely warning against an over-reaction.

Some parents send their children for tuition without consulting their child first, because of (I say again), the misconceived opinion that 'it will be better for them'. But have you ever thought about what the child might think? Surely they have a better gauge of their own abilities than the parents would!

I know there would be some children who may be too young to decide, but honestly, the number of advertisements one sees in the papers each day offering head-starts is really far too much. And the sight of all those 'I promise you your child will pass with distinction!' slogans just makes me sick.

We all know that holidays are meant for enjoyment, for pleasure, and for relaxation. Well, in Singapore, some of our dear children relax in a different manner.

This method of relaxing is called assessment books and tuition.

The wonderful Singapore way, guaranteed to bring out the utmost best in one's child, but yet not giving him any time to play or to be a child.

It is either that or having the older students go back to school several times in the holidays to plan, prepare or practise for an upcoming school function at the beginning of the year. Also, the student leaders of the school are bound to have some meeting or another waiting for them as soon as the holidays start, or perhaps another event to write proposals for.

And with all the rehearsals and the usual rubbish, holidays in Singapore are not holidays any more.

They are merely extra time given by the grace of the school to prepare for special occasions at the start of the school year.

I wonder what happened to those mindless days, the actual holidays when one was able to laze around in bed and do nothing but stare at the ceiling and the sky?

Do that nowadays and your parents are bound to come knocking on your door, asking you if you have something better (probably school-related) to do.

And one cannot even find solace in going overseas, because one will constantly be worrying about unfinished projects that are looming over one's head.

Besides, the world is so connected now that no person can ever be out of reach, at all.

And, in some ways, that is a sad thing.

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