Sister Flavian, principal of Carmel Junior College, has noticed a significant change in the attitude of parents in the years gone by

In the recent years, there has been a marked attitudinal change in parents. I find them as educated, aware and motivated as their wards regarding the options and possibilities available in the world as far as careers are concerned. Unlike earlier, parents play as much a vital role as schools in their child?s development.

This change in parent?s role, however, has dual effect. On one hand, some help children realise their shortcomings and act as their guides, others create unrealistic goals for their children. It is, perhaps, the unrealistic expectations of parents and society that puts stress on children, who are unable to cope with it.

To fight this tremendous pressure, schools must encourage extra-curricular activities like sports, dramatics and reading, which, I believe, are disappearing habits.

In our school, there is no marking system till Class IV to encourage a competition-free atmosphere for the young minds. The practice of teaching also involves innovative methods like use of visual aids, software, topic capsules and slide shows to make classes an intercative activity. In this way, the student-teacher relationship also gets a boost.

As the present day syllabus emphasises theories, incorporating vocational courses in the yllabus is very important. Parents and children alike should appreciate alternative courses rather than pursue the popular ones. After all, children are not merely extensions of the parent?s personality, but are individuals with different choices.

Children should be taught not only to recognise their dreams, but also appreciative hard work, especially manual labour. Often, physical weaknesses lead to mental frailty in children. Kids enjoy easy life, especially in the modern scenario with working-parents pampering their kids silly out of sheer guilt. There are temptations from all quarters like televion and computers and glamourisation of certain professions and careers. Thus, lessons in humility and positive role models are necessary and schools should provide these along with academic s.

Saswati Mukherjee