Welcome to the world of competition , in a population of 1 billion and limited resources our country is the thriving hub of extreme competition . A 5 yr old child can amaze you with his G.K. or science and you would wonder how much these kids of today know what even we wont know at our ages . Parents expect their child to be at the top , get extraordinary high marks , top in the class ....... but is this all for the childs benefit ? , for his future ?
The effect of the heavy schoolbag .
at a very tender age the child is made to learn huge piles of things even we wont know . obviously this STRESSES OUT the child . at his age ! the reasons are numerous : the parents obsession for their child to be the best , pressure at school , peer pressure ( to the parents ofcourse !) and lot many reasons . Lets analyze the our concerns for a childs performance .
Psychology
Childhood age 5-11 is when a childs brain develops . this is when the most of his personality is formed . So at this tender age we are feeding the child what is required by the education system and killing his creativity and curiosity .I have hardly ever met a kid who wants to be a class topper because he himself does , not because his parents would like him to . the whole idea is put into the mind of the child and he is made to study . does this make the child smarter or makes him prone to a more successful life ? lets find out .
is the 90% child smarter ?
most would say yes , he is more intelligent . but what exactly is the significance of getting 90% or above in school . A child has been getting 90% since kindergarden , does that really make any difference ? No one cares about your childs score in school classes .
it is a well known fact that for competition exams a totally different pattern of prepration is required . To survive in the real world again you dont need a school merit . there are loads of examples of school dropouts being more successful than an average hard working sweating professional .
Again even in professional dream colleges there are very intelligent students who are gulping loads of information (we can agree most of what we study is not really useful in our practical lives) . the question is just by getting very high marks are they more capable of surviving in the real world ?
Who survives the competition ?
this is an age of cut throat competition . To win any battle what you need is desire , hard work , perseverance and motivation . It is not just till the school tests , the boards , the entrance exams , the postgraduate entrance ... in this fast changing world everyday is a fight for survival . How long can you be there to push the child . And if a child is burdened under expectations , will he actually improve or just fall prey to the pressure ?
In todays world there is no place for the 2ND BEST . true there are a lot of new avenues opening up but how many of these harbour the 2nd best slot ? Only those survive who fight to be the best . That needs courage and will on an individuals part . By pushing a child to do something the child is actually going to start repelling it .
Is studies the only option for children ?
There are a lot of new innovative avenues opening up today . Be it sports , fashion , entertainment , hospitality , designing , architecture , journalism and I dont know what all . Creativity is the essence of todays fast changing world and it only flourishes with love and acceptance .
Does love spoil them ?
Love does not spoil your child , indiscipline does , complacency does . Love is essential for a childs emotional growth , his feeling of security . Love is your only insurance that your child will not take up drugs or turn violent later in life . Only love guarantees respect that any human being would give to another .
So is it really wise to worry about your child not coming first in the class ? or if he or she is not doing as good as your best friends kid ? or his marks are not up to the mark ? At this stage when he does not fulfill what is expected of him , does he or she really need a scolding , or encouragement and love , that we have to decide for ourselves .
This is not a pejorative to the importance of studies . A good formal education is more important today than it ever was . However it is for all of us to rethink . Is the burden necessary or the children can do what they are required to do at this tender age - live playfully , enjoy their wonderful lovely childhood which all of us call the best days of our lives ?
This review would be incomplete with only one persons point of view . Parents , children and peers are invited to post their views in the comments section .
Thank you for reading .