I Quit...

Dear One,

"I Quit..."

Remember those infamous words from 3 Idiots. That was just a reel shot but how many young people are making those two words their last words.

I recently attended a seminar by an eminent psychiatrist on 'Teen Suicides'. The venue had a capacity of holding hundred odd participants. But to the surprise of many, more than two hundred people turned up, most of them anxious parents. The hall was jam packed yet many "upper class" people chose to sit in the doorway or any other cranny they could squeeze in.

The entire scene was dismally upbeat. I know it contradicts but all the parents were visibly concerned and  excited to know professional answers and solutions to the latest teen fad - Suicide.

One anxious parent asked "Why do children commit suicide? We give them the best of everything. What is it they lack that prompts them to take such extreme measures."

"We prompt them to commit suicide," pat came the reply of the psychiatrist, much to the horror of everyone present, "And what they lack is our quality time." He let his bold yet pertinent answer sink in for a moment before he explained further.

"In today's time," he added, "every parent works doubly hard to give their children the best of everything. Be it education or entertainment or any fancy gadgetry, you name it and they have it. In return they expect a lot more from their children. They want them to score top marks in their exams, play cricket like Sachin Tendulkar and dance like Madhuri Dixit. In short every parent dreams of their child to be nothing short of a Superman."

Well, in my opinion it is not wrong to expect from your children, but the expectations should be real and practical. Don't push them to the extremes. Identify what they are best at and gently encourage them to expand their own limits. At times, we have to just let them be what they want to be and not what we want them to be. What is the point of living your dreams through your child's eyes. Let them dream and live their own dreams. Our duty is to become their loving guide and not a ruthless dictator of dreams.

Let's face it. Today's children are much more stressed out than what we were in our childhood. They have to face the vagaries of the modern world which is hopelessly demanding and unforgiving. Let us be forgiving with  our children to start off with. Let's appreciate them often and lecture them less. Inculcate deep spiritual values of love, sympathy, compassion etc. from an early age. Most importantly let us gift them our most invaluable possession - Quality time.

We, as teachers and parents, should give them a solid grounding to walk on and mighty wings to fly high. Educate them for life and not just for a career. Appeal to their heart as much as we teach them to expand their minds. A balance of heart and mind is very essential for a successful and happy living.

Lastly, no one would like to choose death over life. It's only when they lose hope in life that they find respite in death.

Give them hope and encouragement. Help them to live. Help them to love - because life is still beautiful.

Peace in yourself; Peace in the world.