Winter Break in Mauritius : Schoolbooks, Screens, and Everything In Between

As classrooms are closed for the winter break, many Mauritian children find themselves caught between revision work, outdoor adventures, and hours of screen time. This holiday season, schoolbags and tablets share equal space on the kitchen table. News on Sunday spoke to parents and education experts to understand how children are currently spending their winter holidays and how parents should support their children in finding a balance between rest, study, and digital entertainment.

Reena Joganah: “Once their TV time is up, it’s time to find a book, do some chores”

Reena Joganah, a finance professional and mom to three – two spirited daughters aged 10 and 8, and a curious little 1-year-old boy – shares how her family is navigating the winter holidays with a mix of structure, snacks, and sanity-saving grandmothers.

During the day, the girls go to their grandmothers’ house. “The girls are lucky to have both grandmothers nearby, so they spend alternate days between Nani’s and Dadi’s homes. Each place feels like its own little holiday camp – complete with homemade snacks, stories, and lots of cuddles. They pack their doll bags, books, and favourite snacks like they’re going on mini adventures. One of the highlights this year was a visit to Pizza Inn for their Little Chef session – something they look forward to every winter. They were so proud of their pizzas,” explains Reena.

The mother states that she tries to maintain a certain schedule during the break, mostly out of necessity, since both she and her husband are working. “Mornings start with breakfast and then they head off to one of their grandmas’. Left to their own devices, the girls would be in pajamas until noon! This holiday is especially meaningful because their auntie is getting married in week 3, so we’ve had fittings, dance practices, and lots of behind-the-scenes wedding excitement filling up the days too.”

How does she encourage a balance between fun, rest, and study? “We’ve tried to weave in a bit of everything – their holiday tuitions give some academic structure, while the rest of the day includes lots of play, family time, and occasional creativity bursts. They’re also helping out with wedding prep, which has been its own kind of learning – organising, rehearsing, and even helping pick colours. It’s been a really sweet way for them to feel involved,” utters Reena.

Speaking about revision activities, the mother of three declares that she keeps things light but steady. “Between school homework and tuition sessions, they’re still in touch with their studies. We try to blend it in gently –a bit of reading before sleeping or sneaking in a long division revision. It’s all about balance, really.” Reena is of the opinion that kids should keep up with their studies even during holiday time. “A little bit of revision here and there helps them stay in rhythm and not feel overwhelmed when school reopens. Keeping their minds gently ticking over means we avoid that post-holiday “What’s long division again?” moment.”

When it comes to screen time, Reena keeps things cool but still within a framework. “We try to keep it to around 2 to 3 hours of TV a day. Phones and tablets are off-limits, which they’re not thrilled about, but it really helps with keeping a calm atmosphere in the house.” Once the TV time is over, asserts Reena, the kids have to occupy themselves with other activities. “We’re quite firm with that. Once their TV time is up, it’s time to find a book, do some chores, or look after their little brother. And with so much going on this holiday – from pizza-making to dance rehearsals – they’ve honestly been quite happy to unplug.”

Reena trusts that parents should definitely play a key role in structuring holiday time. “I think parents set the tone. It doesn’t need to be rigid, but having a gentle rhythm helps everyone. For us, it’s a mix of planned moments and free time.” However, she affirms that time is the biggest hurdle. “Both of us work full-time, so we rely a lot on the support of family during the day. Evenings are our time to reconnect, hear their stories, maybe prep a bit of dance choreography together – just trying to be present, even in the small things.”

If she could change one thing about how her children spend their holiday, what would it be? “If I could, I’d add more creative, hands-on experiences – workshops, nature days, craft sessions. The girls still attend their art classes once a week but I love when they come home with glitter on their hands and stories to tell each day of the week. The Pizza Inn Little Chef experience was perfect for that – they got messy, had fun, and got to eat what they made. It’s those kinds of memories that really make childhood holidays magical.”

Caroline and Clinton Harmon: “Our secret weapon : the “1-hour-a-day” study minimum, even on holidays”

Both aged 40 years old, Caroline and Clinton are parents to Shana, 8 years and Timeo, 7 years.  During this winter school break, both kids spend their day at home with their nanny. “They are mostly at home with the nanny, who deserves a medal, honestly. They also spend a few days with their grandparents—where we suspect they get completely spoiled—and occasionally go out with friends to the mall, the cinema, or some kind of indoor adventure zone where they can burn off their energy,” explain the parents.
Caroline and Clinton state that they do not really maintain a strict routine during the holidays. “We feel holidays should feel like holidays. The routine can take a nap—we save that structure for the school term. That said, we do sneak in a bit of structure when they’re not looking (mainly the 1-hour study rule), just to keep the gears turning.”

They reveal that they encourage a balance between fun, rest, and study through a minimum study time. “Our secret weapon: the “1-hour-a-day” study minimum, even on holidays. If they skip a day because they’re out, we catch up the next day. We throw in a weekend reward—maybe dinner out or a fun family outing—to keep the vibe positive. And when we can take time off work, we try to turn those days into mini adventures. Balance is key or at least that’s what we tell ourselves when they’re negotiating like tiny lawyers,” they utter.

Through the 1-hour-a-day study time, the parents make sure that the kids are keeping up with their studies. “We usually assign some light homework or revision work, and we sit with them in the evenings to go through it. It’s a bit like being part-time parents, part-time tutors.” They indeed strongly believe that holidays should include some level of academic engagement? “We’ve learned the hard way that if they switch off completely, switching back on come next term is let’s just say “challenging.” A little daily engagement helps keep the wheels greased—and saves us all from academic whiplash.”

When it comes to screen time, Caroline and Clinton admit that they do allow their kids to spend much time on their screens. “During the day, the screens are kind of like the third parent. But once we’re home in the evening, it’s screen-off, family-on. We try to reclaim the house for actual conversations, meals, and sometimes chaotic board games.” However, they assert that there are limits to the usage time. “Yes, though the rules are more like flexible guidelines during the day. But once we’re back from work, the rule is clear: screens off, faces on. That’s our cue for dinner, chats, and some much-needed connection time.”

Speaking about parental role, the couple believes that some structure and boundaries make kids feel secure, even if they roll their eyes at us while following them. “In reality, we’re often improvising and hoping no one notices.” Caroline and Clinton also declare that time is their biggest constraint. “We both work full-time, and while we’d love to spend all day building blanket tipis and reading stories, reality often looks more like quick dinners and bedtime negotiations. We try to make the time we do have meaningful, even if it’s short and sweet.” 

If they could change one thing about how their children spend their holiday, what would it be? “We’d love for them to spend more time playing outside—climbing trees, racing bikes, building secret forts... you know, like we did in the good old days before Wi-Fi. Right now, “outside” mostly means walking to the car. We’re working on it!” they declare.