Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Helping children grow

PHOTO: RAJU. V

Informative: Students go through news clippings on children’s health and nutrition at Gowtham Rainbow School in Vijayawada on Tuesday. —

VIJAYAWADA: Children should be given freedom to do what they wish to do, but that freedom should be well within the boundaries and children should not forget their duties in the process of enjoying their independence, said N. Lakshmi Prasanna, the paediatrician and director of the Hyderabad-based Abhaya International School.

Addressing a workshop on ‘Child Education and Health’ organised by Students-Teachers-Educators and Parents (STEP) at Gowtham Rainbow School here, Dr. Prasanna said many parents would like their children to grow early, complete studies within no time and land up in a comfortable job.

“In this process, parents are not allowing their children to grow up naturally and forcing their wards to miss their beautiful childhood,” she observed. Expressing concern over increasing instances of ‘autism’ among teenagers, Dr. Prasanna said since children were looking at their peers as their competitors, they were unable to be friendly with them.

“Even the parents are unable to spend time with their children due to their busy schedules.

“As a result, children are becoming self-centred and not giving importance to any relationship,” she said.

Advising parents to allow their children to grow naturally, she said it was not possible for every child to score well in all subjects.

“Some may like English and may not like mathematics. Instead of scolding them for not getting good scores, parents and teachers should encourage the hidden talent among children. If a child begins to feel inferior about his or her marks in a particular subject, he or she can’t learn the subject perfectly forever,” she explained.

Dr. Prasanna said teachers were playing an important role in moulding students as good citizens and they should take extra care of them.

“If you teach them arts and crafts at the school-level, they enjoy the process of learning for their lifetime. This has been proved scientifically,” she said.

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