An hour later, another message arrived: her preschooler also had the day off. "Both my husband and I had full schedules. Suddenly, both children had the day off with such short notice. I didn't know what to do," said the 35-year-old mother from Cau Giay district.

Initially, Trang planned to send her older son to a neighbor's house. When she learned her younger child also had the day off, she considered sending both to a private preschool nearby for 300,000 VND. However, the teacher informed her that the preschool was also closed.

"Either my husband or I had to stay home. After a discussion, I gave in and rescheduled my meeting for the afternoon," Trang said.

On the morning of 21/8, her husband rushed off to a meeting, leaving Trang to work from her neighbor's house, juggling her online meeting with caring for her youngest. Her son wanted to play but refused to leave her side, while the neighbor's children wanted to stay indoors. "During my presentation, my son suddenly started crying for me," she recounted.

With several children running around, their laughter and cries intermingled, forcing Trang to resort to YouTube and her phone to restore order.

At noon, her husband returned to take over childcare duties, allowing Trang to navigate her way to Hang Bac street. "With so many road closures, I'll probably have to park far away and walk a kilometer. I don't know if my client will be patient enough to wait," she sighed.

Thu Trang's children watch cartoons with the neighbor's children during their unexpected day off, midday 21/8. Photo provided by the interviewee.

Thu Trang's children watch cartoons with the neighbor's children during their unexpected day off, midday 21/8. Photo provided by the interviewee.

Many parents found themselves in similar situations. "Some parents had prepared everything for their children, only to find out at the elevator that school was canceled. Others arrived at the school gates, only to be surprised by the late-night announcement they hadn't seen," said Vu Van Anh, 27, from Dong Ngac ward.

Van Anh has two preschool-aged children. Her younger child, just over one year old, was fussy with a fever, while her energetic 4-year-old was restless. Her husband had to stay home from work, but the morning chaos left Van Anh "more stressed than her sick child."

"My older son was screaming to go out, while the younger one clung to his father, crying and vomiting. My husband couldn't handle it alone. I felt like I was on pins and needles at work and planned to leave early," she said.

On 20/8, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training announced school closures for students in 12 inner-city districts on 21/8 and 27/8 to facilitate traffic flow for National Day parade rehearsals. The decision applied to both public and private schools, while teachers still reported to school to prepare for the new academic year.

Tran The Cuong, Director of the Department, explained: "Schools located on the parade route, or in nearby downtown areas with high pedestrian and vehicle traffic, will be closed."

This announcement sparked debate. While some parents worried about disrupted work schedules and childcare, others saw it as a unique opportunity.

Kieu Trang and her daughter celebrate National Day early. Photo provided by the interviewee.

Kieu Trang and her daughter celebrate National Day early. Photo provided by the interviewee.

Dinh Thi Kieu Trang, a volunteer for the A80 event, said that even if school hadn't been canceled, she would have requested leave for her 6th-grade daughter to attend the rehearsal. "I'll be busy on the actual holiday, so I wanted her to witness the rehearsal," she explained, adding that the summer curriculum wasn't intensive, so missing a couple of sessions wouldn't be detrimental.

Since mid-August, Trang and her daughter have been preparing red and gold star flag outfits, scarves, hair clips, and buns to celebrate the nation's 80th National Day.

Nguyen Van Duc, from Hai Ba Trung district, proactively took time off work to take his three children, aged 2, 4, and 12, to see the rehearsal. With his wife still working, he anticipated needing help from his parents, who live in the countryside.

"Initially, we planned for my parents to come for the actual holiday, but since the children have these days off, we'll have them come early. They can help with childcare and also witness the parade and see Hanoi at its most vibrant," he said.

For Duc, this wasn't a burden but a chance to connect as a family. "My children get to see real tanks and planes. This is a real-world lesson that 12 years of schooling can't offer. Missing a few days of school is worth it," he said.

Pham Nga