Date:13/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/13/stories/2008121354840600.htm

Tamil Nadu

“Impart life skills to adolescents”

Special Correspondent

To channel their energy to achieve positive goals

Wards reciprocate whatever their parents do
Parents should not thrust their career choice upon wards

NEYVELI: Besides being affectionate, the parents should teach the life skills to the adolescents so as to channel their energy to achieve positive goals, said S. Yamuna, Adolescent Physician, Chennai.

She was speaking at the “Awareness programme on adolescence for parents, teachers and students” organised here under the aegis of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, and, the Engineers and Scientists Association, Neyveli.

She said since the personality development occurred from two to six years whatever the parents did or failed to do was reciprocated by their wards.

From six to 14 years, the children were obsessed with their physical aspects and from 14 to 17, they were attracted towards the opposite sex. Therefore, only after 17 years they would concentrate on their career.

Tremendous stress

Hence, the parents should realise that the adolescents were under tremendous stress during the growth process.

The parents were habituated to appreciate their children only when they fared well in examinations.

Therefore, it had become customary to look down upon those who did not score good marks.

Such an attitude would affect the creativity in children and lead to many complications, a tendency against which the parents should guard themselves, she said. Ms. Yamuna further said nothing should be done to harm the self-esteem of children; rather, they should be taught to love themselves.

Based on studies carried out over a period of time the World Health Organization had come out with the suggestion for imparting 10 life skills.

These included fostering self awareness, critical thinking, inter-personal relationship, effective communication, creative thinking, decision making, problem-solving, coping with emotion and coping with stress.

She pointed out that the common trait among children was finding brilliant excuses for not doing certain things. While appreciating them for coming out with such reasons, the parents should make them realise that they could not get away with lies.

The adolescents should be given adequate freedom but with certain degree of vigilance. In terms of educational career, the parents should not thrust their choice upon their wards.

The parents should fathom their mind and find out their spheres of interest and act accordingly.

If not, there was a possibility of their wards turning wayward.