The most beautiful thing about a hobby is that it is a mode of expression. There are so many times you want to say something but you don’t. There are so many times that you need to hide who you are or what you think so would be accepted by people. Society places limits on what you can do and what you cannot. However hobbies, they can be your medium to express yourself and who you are to the people around you and even the world. We live in a competitive world surrounded by people who try to be the best of the best. Children are taught form when their future depends on their grades. That the only way they can get a better and happy life is by getting a job with a stable and high salary. Doctors, Engineers, CEOs and Lawyers, those are their choices for what they can be. When there are thousands of children trying to get the same thing, only the best of the best will make it. And many believe that they only way their child can be the best of the best is by studying. Forget about dance lessons Moorabbin, it’s all about studying. Study in school. Go for tuition. Come back. Study again. Then go to sleep. Wake up and go to school again. That is the schedule they need to be the best of the best or that’s what some parents think.
What do you think is going to happen to a child who is forced to follow such a strict schedule? Do you think they will be the best of the best? The answer is maybe. It is not a definite yes. Children can be stressed beyond their limits and while some might make it to the top, others may not even make it out alive. The Suicide rate for students is high. Especially now with an even more competitive world, where jobs are scarce and the unemployment rate among the youth can be quite high depending on where you live. Why do children take their lives? The reason is stress and a pressure to always perform excellently in exams. This can cripple a child’s social skills and give them anxiety and even cause depressive symptoms. They may even engage in self harm or take the stress out on others. Some might just give up and rebel. They may abuse substances or hang out with the wrong crowd.
So what can do you do as a parent, what should you do? The answer is simpler than you think. Be supportive. Listen to what your child wants. Give them a schedule where they have some time to be themselves. Studying is important, but your child needs to learn to relax and do the activities they love too. If they show interest in dance or sport or any other extra-currricular activity, then allow them to do it. Give them the opportunity to go a reputable dance school in Bentleigh, etc., and learn about the activity better and help them hone their talents.