Category: Parental Involvement

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Why Do Kids Need to Be Encouraged to Become Original Thinkers?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Researchers Believe That Originality Turns Out to Be Essential for The Kids in All Fields of Life, especially in a Time of Distress

Last week, a student waited for me after the class just to ask one thing ‘Do I have a unique mind?’ The question was spontaneous, which made me pause for a moment before replying to her question. I gently asked, ‘Dear, what made you ask this question?’ She replied, ‘Sir, I think I am a good student,” she explains thoughtfully, rolling her eyes, ‘but do I have the kind of mind where I can come up with a new and unique thought? Maybe I’m intended to be one of those people who spend their lives listening to what other creative people say.’ I smiled and replied, ‘Not need to worry, dear. Everybody feels that way. Even I sometimes feel that my thoughts are the copied ones, and that is okay. It doesn’t mean that I have a lesser value than any other human being on this earth.’ She smiled back convincingly, and after a bit of talk, we left our Zoom meeting. But this conversation left me with a question, does originality really matter when valuing ourselves or others? Continue reading “Why Do Kids Need to Be Encouraged to Become Original Thinkers?” →

Why Is Discontentment on The Rise Among Teens?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Researchers Believe That Due to Covid Closures Teenagers are Suffering More Than Ever from Mood Disorders Such as Depression, Schizophrenia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) And Even, In Some Cases, Become Suicidal.

One of my previous batch students recently approached me and shared that he wanted to end his life as he does not see any worth. Upon asking, he said his parents always fight with each other, even on a simple matter which can be resolve through dialogue. When he intervenes, his father accused him of being underage to understand such home matters and sometimes, he even takes out his rage by beating him along with his mother. Due to such circumstances, his academic performance is close to nothing, and he might even fail his finals as well. He approaches me just to inform me that there is no point to continue living this life. Because according to him, his parents had seen him as a problem solver or a responsible adult, which he thinks he is not. After hearing all his concerns, I consult him for at least an hour and let him decide whether these issues are resolvable or simply it’s a dead end. Luckily, he starts accepting things and I forward him to certain institutions that are professional in dealing with such situations. After a day and a half, it becomes clear that his father’s revolting behaviour was due to their financial constraints as he recently lost his job. Continue reading “Why Is Discontentment on The Rise Among Teens?” →

Why do Adolescents Sometimes Cave into Peer Pressure?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Especially In This Plight of Pandemic Dealing with Teenage Peer Pressure Now Becoming a Huge Problem During High School

When I think back to my teenage days, I can probably remember the feeling and the fear that everyone will think I am not cool or do not hang out with the coolest gang of my high school. That fear leads me to do a lot of stupid stuff that I might not do otherwise, from adopting a new lifestyle and clothing sense, whether it suits me or not, to deciding the future career pathway based on my friends’ preferences. It seems when I step into that teenage bubble, my parents’ approval starts mattering less, and friends’ approval starts counting more. Although it sounds weird and so reckless or rebellious to many of you, that was when only I could feel the fear of disapproval from my peers, which eventually led me to cave into peer pressure. Recently, I encountered a situation where a parent shared the routine of her kid and while hearing her take me back to my teen days as I can relate to some of the stuff that parent shared with me. Continue reading “Why do Adolescents Sometimes Cave into Peer Pressure?” →

How Do I Know If My Adult Child Is Emotionally Constipated?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Why Children Become Emotionally Explosive in Their Adulthood?

As a secondary school educator, I frequently hear stories of being passive and aggressive, especially from parents. Behaviours like these may have many reasons such as academic, family or peer pressure etc. But sometimes, these reasons have lasting effects on teens mental and physical health if proper actions cannot be taken on time. I recently met one of my previous students who is now becoming a registered nurse from a well-known healthcare institute. The way she was talking to me, it seems like she has a lot to say. We spent almost 2 hours talking about her recent transitions in professional life, where she shared her bitter experiences as well. While leaving, she said, “Sir, you know it’s been four years since I talked that much…I am glad I met you”. I always feel proud whenever I met my students, and after all these years, they still recognize me. However, I know her since school days, and I realize the feeling behind her last words when she was leaving. In today’s pandemic and virtually depressed times, teens are more exposed to mental depression where they don’t want to express their feelings to anyone – making them emotionally constipated. Continue reading “How Do I Know If My Adult Child Is Emotionally Constipated?” →

How Fear of Missing Out Affects Teens During Pandemic?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

A New Study Suggests the Association Between Pandemic and The FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) Syndrome Especially in Teenagers During the Pandemic Times

The pandemic has given us the way forward to sustain and survive while keeping ourselves socially distant. The virtual valley is now the home to millions of digital natives benefiting their lives from the fruits of services this valley offers. Unfortunately, social media websites are heavily consuming fruits, especially by teenagers during the covid-19 pandemic. Eventually, the overuse of such platforms leads teens to engage in addictive behaviour, affecting their social and cognitive health.  Researchers believe that this addiction can be the reason to cope with feelings of anxiety and loneliness that adolescents experience during quarantine, and FOMO is one such anxiety. Continue reading “How Fear of Missing Out Affects Teens During Pandemic?” →