Kids strain nerves to meet parents' expectations

Unrealistic hopes from students pushes them to the limit

With the board exams starting from next month, experts feel the parental expectations from children to fare well is driving students into tremendous stress.

The pressure gets worse for students taking competitive exams simultaneously with their board exams.

“Most parents expect their children to be in the ‘90 per cent’ category in Board exams or want them to crack the IIT or pre-medical entrance tests, putting massive strain on them. Instead of pinning unrealistic hopes on their wards or pushing them to the limit, parents should rather fortify their morale and create conducive atmosphere at home to reduce examination-induced stress,” says Dr Ashok Chacko, regional director of Delhi Mental Health Helpline. 

He stressed that to handle the exam pressure, counseling is needed for students as well as parents.

According to health experts, some amount of stress is inevitable before the Board examinations, however there are ways to tackle it. They also feel that one of the parents should be at home during the exams.

Striking a balance“Parents should strike a balance between their children’s study schedule and stress-releasing activities, like exercise or adequate rest. The idea is to break the monotony of continuous study,” said psychologist Zaki Shah.  

“It is unreasonable to compare your children with others or setting a percentage target for them. What is important is that at least one of the parents should be at home and be supportive to the child,”  she said.

The helpline was inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in October last year. It is a collaborative effort of the NGO Vandrevala Foundation, Emmanuel Hospital Association, St Stephen’s Hospital and the Mar Thoma Church. The Vandrevala Foundation runs a 24x7 helpline in Mumbai also.