The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the growing practice of enrolling children in multiple extracurricular classes throughout their summer vacations, observing that children also need time to relax and spend quality time with their parents.

A Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan raised the issue while hearing a child custody dispute. The Court was told that the children were attending extracurricular classes during their summer break.

Justice Nagarathna questioned when children would actually get to enjoy their holidays if their schedules remained packed with classes from the beginning to the end of the vacation.

“From the first day of the summer vacation, to the last day of the summer vacation, there are classes for children. Then the school begins. When do they enjoy their summer vacation?” she observed.

The Bench said summer holidays could instead provide parents with an opportunity to spend more time with their children and teach them values, etiquette and manners. Justice Nagarathna particularly stressed the importance of teaching boys how to treat girls and women.

“Treat them, give them good etiquette, manners, boys especially, how they should treat girls and women. Parents should teach them instead of sending them to extra classes,” she said.

The Court noted that while extracurricular activities can contribute to a child's development, an excessive number of classes may reduce meaningful interaction between parents and children.

Justice Nagarathna suggested that parents could themselves spend time teaching and engaging with their children instead of continuously enrolling them in activities such as art, music or martial arts.

“So many classes are also not good. Just sit with them and talk to them. They will become better children, there will be better interaction,” she remarked.

The Bench also expressed concern that parents may turn extracurricular activities into a form of competition, with each trying to demonstrate that their child is enrolled in more classes than others.

The judge observed that the pressure only increases as children grow older, with coaching for competitive examinations such as CLAT and other entrance tests leaving them with little free time.

During the proceedings, the Court also suggested that both parents come together to celebrate their child's birthday despite their ongoing custody dispute, observing that the child would be happiest if both parents participated in the celebration.

However, the mother's counsel alleged that she had faced domestic violence and physical assault and also claimed that the children had been tutored. The husband's counsel denied the allegations and submitted that he met the children only once a year, making it unlikely that he could have tutored them.

The Supreme Court ultimately directed both parties to work towards an arrangement for shared parenting.