Nip the problem in the bud, see a counsellor

Success and failure are two sides of the same coin. Having said that,the hard reality is that there is nobody on this planet who likes to be calleda failure, and definitely, not the children.
It is the worst thing that can happen to a child where the school or theparents call the child a failure.
Stress related to studies can be a dampener when it comes to a child’sperformance. While there are ways to deal with it at home, another solution isto approach counsellors.

“Definitely! Counselling does help a child who may not even be aware ofthe situation,” says Dr. Madhumati Singh, a senior psychologist from New Delhi.

The child may be going through some stress factors. But then he/she willnot go the counsellor unless the parents persuade them to. It is the parent oreven a teacher that has to take the child for a counselling session. It is theparent or a teacher that has to take the child for a counselling session. Achild who was earlier performing well but has suddenly dipped in performance oris becoming introvert or has become an introvert, has to be referred to acounsellor.

“Since the counsellor is neither a parent nor a teacher, s/he isvery effective as they are not going to judge a child. It is a professionalatmosphere where a child can open up and share where things are going wrong.It’s not like a courtroom where the judgment is given. The counsellor has tosee the universe through a child’s eye and only then they can help the child,”says Dr. Madhumati.

“Most of the schools in Delhi and NCR have counsellors. Some have two,one for middle school and one for senior school but most have one. The ratio ofa counsellor to students could be huge, sometimes 1: 1,500-2,000 children,which is a tall order. These counsellors mainly get students who are referred bythe teachers,” adds Dr. Madhumati. In such a scenario, the best solution wouldbe for the parents to watch out for the stress symptoms in their children andthen address the problem by meeting their teacher and make them understand thecore issues. The teachers can further initiate a session with the counsellors.

Expertspeak  

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.Thomas A. Edison  

Exam time is here and it seemslike only yesterday that we celebrated Christmas! So, have a heart. This tooshall pass. No big deal. You need to focus on your timetable and revise the weaksubjects more. You have to learn to enjoy your exams. As much as possible! Maybe it won’t be very thrilling. But it’s ok. It’s just a next step in life. Actually,it’s one of the next steps only. Studies give you the foundation. Gently,confidently and happily take your exams. Life is about your passions.Also pay attention to your health. Take proper nutrition, more ofprotein, less of carbs, fat and starch. Keep yourself hydrated and keep awayfrom infections. Also, 7-8 hours of sleep is very important to keep your mindfresh.

  Dr. Madhumati Singh, senior psychologist