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Transcription

Hi, this is Priya Dogra, and you are tuning to Fitness Radio Episode 8. So, I am back again to talk with you about a thoughtful topic that we often ignore as responsible parents of our kids. It is the mental health of our kids today during exams. Exams stress can negatively affect your children’s mental and physical health. And this is very obvious due to the kind of competition they are dealing with today. The stress becomes more serve with the expectations of parents and teachers. And the peer pressure adds more to it.

It becomes more problematic when you belong to a small town and your children have no access to career counseling. Children don’t know till class 8th or 9th that what they want to do. The only source of information is relatives who are abroad and cousins who are in metro cities. The guidance part is lacking, and there is a huge gap between what children want to do, what they can do and what they will be able to do. So, we as parents and children both struggle at that part.

The other problem with today’s children is that they rely too much on peer pressure and their groups. They make assumptions, and make a decision on the bases of that. We as parents need to identify their strengths and weaknesses to guide them accordingly. Yes, of course, we are not experts but we can still try our best.

If you analyze today’s children, you will see they are very lost, they don’t know what to do. And even if they know; they don’t know the right way to reach there. Career counselors can help, but first, they really need your support and help to figure out themselves.

The other reasons that add to their depression are the strange complexes that we never had in our childhood like; I am very fat, I am very thin, I am very dark and I don’t look in a certain way. They constantly compare them to someone very perfect who doesn’t even exist in reality. These complexes play a vital role to tend them lose focus from their life goals. They think that if they don’t get through a good school or college then that it is the end of the world.

You have to keep telling them if the one door closes, there is another one which is going to open. Yes, they will be cranky sometimes, will not listen whatever you say, and give you reasoning on why everything is not right. But at that time you need to be patient. You need to understand that they are dealing with a tough time. Make sure they are eating healthy and not into any kind of bad habit.

Points to remember

Be extra patient with your children

Keep probing with your kids

Take them out often for one to one dinner

Talk to them

Take care of their diet

Don’t let them eat too much of junk

Don’t freak out on their mood tantrums

Tell them you love them

Be there for your kids and help them get through this time and come out with flying colours.