Hyderabad, August 02: “The child is just not interested in anything. He refuses to do anything.” – The words of a teacher “But we have tried our best. Now, we don’t know what to do.” – The words of a parent “What I like to do? I don’t know… may be watch TV or go to the malls.” – The words of a child A disturbing summing up of a situation, you might say.
And yet it does sound familiar. So what has happened? Of course, this is not a catastrophic situation here, obviously there are enough families nurturing enough emotionally healthy and smart children. But the fact is that there is a disturbing trend happening which could lead to a crisis of sorts in future — a dearth of qualities such as leadership, innovative thinking, a willingness to take risks and explore possibilities, the courage to go for a paradigm shift and a genuine interest in the collective welfare. So, maybe we as parents need to introspect a bit.
Here are some pointers: Pressure to keep up: Obviously we want our children to succeed, but is it more about fulfilling our own dreams and keeping up with our peers in terms of our children’s achievements and in the process, burdening the child?
Guilt pangs: With many of us balancing parenting with a job and not having enough time to spare for our children, do we feel guilty and end up indulging and pampering them as compensation?
Family bonding: With most of us living in nuclear families, are children missing out on the warmth, perspectives and bonding that grandparents can provide?
Denial mode: When our child has a unique problem or a special need, do we really acknowledge it and do something about it?
Being buddies: Can our children really share their deepest secrets without us reacting to them or judging them? The spirit of childhood: Can we really let go and have spontaneous fun along with our children?
Practical exposure: Do we supplement academic education of our children with meaningful practical exposure?
Fostering Individuality: Do we encourage children to explore and discover their real interests and talents? More importantly, do they see us as individuals in our own right with a well-defined personality that can inspire them? Perhaps, the answers would set us thinking and doing something about it.
–IANS