Parents spending more time with wards as board exams near

Gurugram: With just over a week left for the board examinations, students in classes 10 and 12 are busy slogging it out in the last leg of preparations. In this

Gurugram: With just over a week left for the board examinations, students in classes 10 and 12 are busy slogging it out in the last leg of preparations. In this crucial period, while students are putting in long hours of study, parents too are extending support and making sure that their children are not bogged down by exam anxiety. From pushing off work commitments to restricting social engagements, parents are going all out with the aim of spending maximum amount of time with their children.

HT Image

Anupama Jain, whose daughter is appearing for the class 12 examination, said that she had reduced outings and other social engagements to spend more time at home with her daughter while she studied. “Earlier, we would dine out every week. But, with exams so close, we are consciously making an effort to not waste time or go out for frivolous things. While the children are studying, parents can be silent supporters and boost their morale,” said Jain.

Like Jain, many others have reworked their work schedules, and centred them around the schedule of their children. Nidhi Lamba, who works for a magazine, said that she had pushed aside all work commitments since her daughter wanted her to be around during the preparatory period.

Similarly, Annu Kapur, mother of a class 10 student, said, “Along with my son, my schedule has also changed. I am practically under house arrest and try to be around him on most days.” She added that spending more time at home was helping both the mother and son in warding off stress. “My son likes to sit and talk with me when he is stressed. Additionally, I am also curbing my anxiety and ensuring that it doesn’t pass down,” said Kapur.

Most parents said that spending additional time at home was also necessary to monitor that children weren’t wasting time on distractions such as social media or using mobile phones in excess. “My daughter has self-restricted her usage of social media. She has deleted Instagram and Youtube for a while, since they are major distractions,” said Lamba, adding that she didn’t restrict her daughter from watching television.

Deepa Kulkarni, another parent, said that she had allowed her daughter to devote free time as per her own needs. “I do see a lot of other parents banning phone or social media, but I believe that children should be given the space of doing what they want in their free time. I have not restricted her online engagements or meets with friends,” said Kulkarni.

The examinations for classes 10 and 12 of various educational boards, including the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), will commence on February 15.

Psychologist Geetanjali Kumar said that while some children greatly benefitted from parental support during examination period, it was necessary that parents maintained a balance. “During this period, children need parents to be around, but one has to strike a balance and ensure that they are not too obtrusive either. Parents need to curb their own anxieties and not get over stressed,” said Kumar.