How To Deal With Social Pressure In School?
Social pressure can be of many types as far as school going students are concerned. It may be a result of unusually high parental expectations, comparison with peers, expectations of a particular social/religious group etc. Mostly social pressures surface in kids in the form of anxiety.
This pressure can be so great as to turn a brilliant and charming student into an incompetent and dull one. It also has been seen that social pressure is most dangerous for students who have a high IQ level – higher than most of the students. These are the students who mostly become the victim of exaggerated expectations. Various emotional problems also get associated with such students.
Whereas studies indicate that one can be prone to anxiety due to genetic reasons also, mostly it’s the social reasons that are to blame. Many parents commit the mistake of urging their children towards success too much. They should realize that every child has a different rate as far as maturity, recognition of responsibility and development are concerned. If you keep on egging your child towards accomplishments just because the son or daughter of your colleague has performed exceptionally well, you are sure to spoil the growth and development of your child.
Many children are made so much enthusiastic by their parents that they tend to compare themselves with their friends and classmates in every kind of activity. If your son is good at studies, it’s not necessary that he should excel at sports also. Just try to judge his natural inclination and then administer your heavy dose of ‘confidence and your formula for success’.
A child should not be ‘obsessed’ with success at any cost. A child should be taught to develop the capacity to bear failure too. It does not mean that you make your child pessimistic or over-cautious. Just give him a realistic picture of life that includes everything – success as well as defeat.
Refrain from setting lofty or long-term goals for your child especially if he is just in the junior school. Let him grow and progress in his natural way. Slowly and gradually he and you both will come to know his leaning. Then a particular line can be chosen. Teach your child to always have second option/options in mind. It’s not running away from commitment and hard work but a realization of the complex reality of life.
To take an example, if your child is not able to clear the ‘engineering test’ despite tremendous hard work don’t harass or blame him. Rather show him another way that is commensurate with his aptitude and abilities. He can opt for mathematics or choose from several careers that demand a logical and precise mind, like technical positions in navy, air force, media etc.
Help your child overcome any anxiety or pressure that he is sure to come across in his life. You can tell him the importance of yoga, mediation, breathing techniques etc. that go a long way in beating pressure, stress and anxiety.