Are You Overburdening Your Child?

Yes, even eagles need a push, but if you shove too hard, you may break their wings and curb their flight altogether. And yet, are you aggressively piling your child with the debris of your dreams and ambitions?

- Rajashree Balaram

When you think of your childhood, you are most probably gripped by a comforting haze of nostalgia. School days full of laughter and silliness, board games, homework, playing outdoors, bruised knees, comic books and some TV—there seems to have been an airy lightness that pervaded your childhood years. Face it, you even think your mom had it a lot easier raising you compared to what you are going through with your child today. And the fact is, you are absolutely right. Parents, today, are expected to shadow their kids through a breathless parade of activities, which were missing earlier or at least were nowhere as demanding—complicated craft and science projects, heaps of homework, coaching classes, sports camps, art classes, complex grading criteria and the works. While it is true that you want the best for your child, a lot also depends on how hard you are pushing him to help him achieve his best. In the frenzy of setting goals and standards for your child’s future, it is vital to ask yourself if you are truly respecting his dreams or controlling the reins to your own aspirations. As more and more kids crumble under anxiety disorders and depression, there are questions on ambition, choices and parenting that are best answered before it is too late.

WISE HANDLING OF AMBITION