Do not force children for career of your choice: Experts

Experts on mental health say that a student who has secured 95 per cent marks in board examinations might still be weak in handling social pressures arising out of situations like being “forced” to choose a career on family’s insistence. A programme on mental health conducted by Mansik Shakti, a voluntary organisation on students’ mental health highlighted the issue.

Dr Amresh Srivastava, a member of advisory board at Mansik Shakti, said, “By sending children to top schools or institutes, parents believe that they have done their bit. But there are risk factors, and these are evident with the suicide cases being reported from premier institutes.”

The experts said that due to social media, a class 2 student also knows what suicide is. The need for parents today is to interact with their children and allow them to do what they think they can do best in life.

“There is a misconception too. Parents believe mental illness is neighbour’s problem and their child will adjust with everything. But the fact is that we need to open our minds to check if the child will be able to absorb such pressure. Instead of forcing children to study just for IITs or medical, parents must realise that their children can also make a better career maybe as musician or in business,” he said.

Dr P K Dalal, former head of the department of psychiatry at KGMU said, “Suicides are increasing and Covid has given rise to it. Just imagine what would have been the result had Sachin Tendulkar was sent to Kota. Think on this before forcing your child to do something he does not want to pursue as career.”