O
n a family holiday
during the Easter
break, Rachel Dias
noticed a disappointing
pattern of behaviour. The family
had barely checked in at Hong Kong
International Airport when her
two teenagers asked if they could
upgrade to business class. At their
idyllic resort surrounded by pristine
beaches, her children dissected the
quality of service, and as they boarded
a public bus to the local town, they
whined and asked for a taxi. Local
kids were walking past them in their
school uniforms, yet her children
didn’t notice the dilapidated building
they were walking towards. She
couldn’t help but think that years
of “family-friendly” resort vacations
and itineraries planned around kids’
clubs had eroded her children of any
cultural curiosity and made them
immune to the real world.
Rachel had hoped her children
would adopt the values that she and
her husband had demonstrated daily –
discouraging conspicuous consumption,
taking public transportation, and
supporting local charities. Rachel
realised on that holiday that despite her
best efforts, her children were living in
a Hong Kong bubble, where ubiquitous
displays of wealth and privilege had
skewed their perception of value and
comfort.
Holidays with a purpose
The concept of volunteering on
vacations isn’t new. Many have
done something similar in their
university or gap years, but there is
an understandable hesitance to take
it up with a young family. However,
parents who have been on holidays
with a purpose expound the virtues
of pushing the boundaries of typical
family vacations. At some point,
This year, consider spending your family holiday
helping others, writes
Aquin Dennison-Mathew
.
parents like Rachel realise that unlike
habits and skills that can be taught
in the formative years, values run
deeper, and are a personal realisation.
It is debatable if a child understands
the comparisons made about food on
his plate and the starving millions in
Africa. However well-intended the
lesson is, it’s an abstract concept, far
removed from their daily lives. On
volunteer vacations, children have a
chance to realise first-hand not just the
privileges they enjoy back home, but
also the joy that comes from lending
a helping hand. An unintended but
related benefit is the cultural exchange
and the chance to forge friendships
with local families in a way that
tourists never do.
For most, the first step in altruism
begins with financial involvement –
donating, fundraising or sponsoring.
Tess Lyons, a mother of four, started
by sponsoring a pre-school in the
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