Rain Holiday
From the book
New day, new rain holiday. It rained all night, like squirrels were dancing to drumbeats on the windows, and in the morning, our road had a thin layer of water on it, the tree was still blocking up the road, and the cobbler and the tea shops had huge blue plastic roofs over them.
MY THOUGHTS
As parents, every passing day is a reminder that we live in a world where we cannot afford to take the mental state of our children lightly. When we were growing up, there was not much thought given to how much stress we were under until we were in the dreaded Board Exam years. But today, our children live in the age of airbrushed images on social media and the relentless pressure to keep up with peers. Reading Rain Holiday was like a punch to my gut about facing the truth about the mental state of my children, no matter how young they are.
Rain Holiday is set against the backdrop of the Mumbai monsoons. For anyone who has lived through a monsoon season in Mumbai, you know how relentless and bleak it can get. Eleven-year-olds Rekha and Latisha are best friends and have been since Grade 1. But on one rainy school holiday, Latisha doesn’t come to spend time with Rekha, choosing instead to cut off all communication and just remain in her room. Rekha tries calling and texting, but Latisha refuses to answer. Rekha decides she needs to know why her friend is behaving this way and decides to launch an investigation. She interviews everyone Latisha met at school the day before to try and determine the reason. While she investigates, she also needs to understand why her father is suddenly back in their life with a request to take a valuable painting from their house. Rekha needs to navigate the many feelings she is bombarded with: the sudden disappearance of her friend, the untimely appearance of her father, mixed feelings over the uncertainty of her nanny Mala Akka moving away, and pleasant feelings at the sudden attention from her classmate, Faiz.
This book doesn’t dwell on the reasons why a child is depressed, instead choosing to focus on the role played by all those around her. How can a close friend or a family member help? And what are the limits to which they can be stretched? Shreya Ramachandran effortlessly writes parts where Rekha allows Latisha her space by leaving her alone to take a nap and recharge while she busies herself with their graphic novel project. There is a focus not just on the affected party, but how young children can work on their mental health when they are feeling overwhelmed. Rekha’s mother is a mental health professional and urges Rekha to write her thoughts in a journal. The book takes a look at complicated relationships and how children and adults navigate them. The emphasis is on the simple, healing powers of friendship when the dark clouds roll in and the sun refuses to shine. To use the imagery of a Mumbai monsoon to talk about matters of the mind is sublime.
This is a book that made me pause and think about how I view the mental health of my children. Definitely a book that can be read on various levels and therefore, is a must-read for children and parents.
If you think your child would enjoy this book, you can buy it here →
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