Dora is Mr. and Mrs. Nebo’s last child. She is about seven years old. She is restless and outgoing. The only time you can find her stay calm is, perhaps, when she falls ill or hungry. She is not a heavy eater, though, but whenever she feels the hunger pangs, she must feed.
She was happy when her parents took her to the countryside in the East during the last holidays. She enjoyed every bit of it and almost refused returning to the city and school.
Dora’s mother sensed that something was wrong with her daughter on noticing that she appeared withdrawn all of a sudden. She had taken Dora to a party the parish priest hosted for kids at the Catholic Church in the village.
“What is it, dear?” she inquired, as she drew her closer, but careful not to spill her glass of fruit juice.
“Nothing,” Dora said.
“But you don’t seem to be alright, Dora. Should we go home now?”
“No”
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“So, what now?”
After much inquiry, Dora opened up
“Mummy, are we going back to Lagos tomorrow?”
“No dear; not tomorrow. We shall leave on Tuesday because your dad and I will be going to Onitsha to buy some few things for grandma and also visit Aunty Lilly.”
“Would you allow Nky and I to go with you?”
“Until then but is that why you suddenly stopped playing?’’ I noticed that you are sulking, why?”
“But mummy, when are we going back to school, sef?”
Don’t you want to return to school?
Not yet, ma.
Why?
Because I now have to be waking up early in the morning and be carrying backpacks, binders, pencils, glue, teachers, home works, ah!
But you must return to school to acquire education.
Yes, but one is supposed to be enjoying too, playing and just watching all the kiddies’ channels on Tv. And suddenly, you are reminded that you have to pack up all your toys in preparation for school. Now, just after four days of holidays, you must look for those hideous items that lead to homework and tests. You must wake up as early as possible to catch the school bus otherwise aunty would spank you. Can’t this school even wait at all?
I thought you enjoyed going to school.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy going to school, mommy. But it is tough returning to school after the holidays…
How?
I like it here, as I had done during every holiday. The night before returning to school is terrible. You toss and turn like salad in a bowl. All you can think about is school. All the tests that lie ahead, homework almost every day and the fact that daddy has placed an embargo on watching TV. And you remember all the fun you are going to miss. It takes forever for your eyelids to finally meet. And even in your dreams, all you see is where you had kept your school shoes. You don’t remember where you left your pair of socks and that lousy PE uniform that was distributed to those whose old ones had gone bad. I just can’t understand why this fun has to stop.
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Does it mean you would choose not to return to school if you could?
Yes, na.
Can’t you just say you don’t want to go?
No, na; that is not possible. So, one must make great effort to brave it, especially because it is beyond your control for you not to go to school.
How do you mean?
If you don’t go, daddy and mommy will beat you.
Really?
Also, you won’t get to see all your friends again. You would compare notes on your adventures and thrills during the brief but exciting holidays.
So, there is still something good in going to school.
Ah, yes na; I didn’t say school is not good. School is good o! They teach you many things and you see your friends and aunties. It only interferes with the fun of holidays.
You almost make me think of stopping you from going to school.
No, no, mommy; please, don’t do that.
Why?
It is true that while you are still struggling with having as much sleep as you want, you are woken up to get ready for school. But actually, school is exciting when you suddenly feel like you had missed your friends for ages and want to reconnect with them.
Tell me about the experience then…
Ah, mommy! You wear your school uniform. You have to remember to take along all of the stuff for your school work. And now as you stand by the veranda, you hear a loud rumbling noise outside. That is the school bus. “Here I go,” you say as you make your way into the bus. As it starts rolling off, it feels strange but familiar. As the pupils pile in along the way, slowly you see your friends one after another.
Suddenly, the bus parks in front of the school and the doors creek open. “Creeeeeekkk!” You walk out of the bus and in front of the school. It feels strange but familiar too. You take a deep breath and tumble inside. You look around at all of the faces. Finally you reach your classroom and go inside. You look at everything and everyone. You smile at the teacher and hug your friends again. You are glad to reconnect with your school pals again. Soon you start laughing and having fun. You soon realise that it is fun again at school just as it was before the holidays.
If school were this fun, why then did you appear cold returning to school?
Mommy, I have enjoyed the village and its serenity. Mommy, will you bring us here again next holidays?
Yes, only if you promise you will not find it difficult to return to the city and school again.
I promise, ma. I have enjoyed visiting family friends and relatives. The church in the village is also beautiful; I enjoyed the Mass. I have enjoyed the party the parish priest hosted for the children where we all of the fun you could ever imagine. Thank you, mommy, for bringing me home for the holidays.
