IT’S that time of year that makes parents quake: the long school holidays are just starting.

It’s a time when children take a break from learning, and it’s the adults’ turn to use their brains to keep the little loves (a) not bored and (b) out of trouble.

Grandparents may look back to their own, relatively carefree childhoods of happily roaming the streets, cycling off for hours and making their own fun and wonder what all the fuss is about. But modern parents know that careful planning and some real creative thought is needed for everyone to survive the lengthy break.

Fortunately, there are plenty of good holiday programmes and sports’ events dotted around the Bolton area, some free. Then there are families’ own holidays away.

Some parents, however, will not have planned for the school holidays. They will not be giving great thought to what their child is doing during the day. They will not care if he or she gets into trouble or puts themselves in danger.

Sadly, in 2014 there are many children whose parents put themselves first and their children and their welfare last. These children will make their own “fun” where they can, perhaps with a bit of money they’ve been given really to go away and leave Mum or Dad alone.

They are the ones most likely to be at risk playing around local railway lines, getting up to mischief, causing problems for neighbours or just getting up to anti-social behaviour where they can.

So it may be up to local communities themselves to keep an eye on children who don’t have the most caring parents, and who need someone with their best interests at heart to just offer a bit of help.

Children may sometimes seem abrasive and couldn’t-care-less but this may mask a real problem, hiding hurt feelings and the fear that no-one is really interested in them.

We all know that children thrive on interest. Show a youngster that what they have to say or what they’re doing rates your attention and you’re half way to helping them.

Summer is not always a welcome time for many youngsters when school is all they have. So, perhaps we can all just watch out for the ones who don’t seem to have much care, and help them through a time which should really spell pleasure for everyone but often doesn’t.