It is very important to know and keep ourselves safe in this world to lead a happy life. Keeping that as our central theme we conducted multiple sessions for all age groups on knowing themselves and others better and also on how they can keep themselves alert and aware.
For Juniors, we discussed more body awareness. We spoke about safe feelings, touch, and strangers. We also spoke about hygiene and 3 personal safety rules. We grew their awareness about who is a safe adult. The children of this group are a delight to have discussions with. They participated with so much enthusiasm.
For Tweens, we spoke more about their growing up needs and how they can be aware of personal space, consent and boundaries for themselves and others. We also discussed how this is helpful to them in making and maintaining good relationships with all. The feedback from children showed that they found this topic relevant and could relate to the scenarios that we discussed.
For the Teens (depending on age group/ age-appropriate) we introduced them to Gender and expression. We gave them an awareness of Gender being a spectrum. We also reiterated the importance of Personal space and consent for any successful relationship. It was received well by students and they participated actively to make our sessions a success.
We sincerely hope that we were able to leave a long-lasting impression on the minds of our students to ensure they take good care of themselves physically and emotionally.
What is self-discovery?
Well, the act or process of gaining knowledge or understanding of your abilities, character, and feelings is termed or defined as self-discovery. There are certain rules for self-discovery, they are
1. What do we want most?
2. What do we do with our leisure time?
3. What do we think about the most?
4. How do we use our money?
5. The company we enjoy?
6. Who and what do we admire?
and lastly
7. What do we laugh at?
The answer to these above questions is a way to discover yourself. Great personalities have found answers to these questions, therefore they are successful and contented with their life.
It is said that the greatest discovery in life is self-discovery. True self-discovery begins when your comfort zone ends. These are mere not just words my friend.
When the pandemic started and the schools and education system came to a halt, we all had our share of worries, be it a parent, a student, a teacher/ facilitator or even the management. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I will be conducting online classes but here I am writing about it. I discovered myself in this process and the confidence it gave me was immense. I got to know more about myself, my students, and how they felt. Yes, I admit it was not easy but not that difficult either. Students are the real strength of a teacher. My students always make me feel special.
Today be it offline or online class I am ready for both.
"Am I a child or an adult? One pace ahead of childhood, two paces behind Adulthood."
I am sure this question pops up in every teenager's mind. Often when they cannot do a task and are immediately hauled up by parents and teachers, “You are so grown up, and yet don't you know this?” However, when they accomplish any feat, they are termed as ‘child prodigies.’
Teenagers today face innumerable challenges and distractions around them. Caught between the real and the reel world - Most of them use these media forms to draw attention to themselves - they thrive on the adulation/ sympathies soaking in all the attention they get. These are often in likes, shares, and reposts they receive when they update their stories or upload their pictures on socials like Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook. Every little happening from their personal life to their school /social life becomes a sensation- often worth posting - just to avail the validation from a couple of strangers - This is termed as “ATTENTION SEEKING SYNDROME.
Now, how does this begin? Let’s look at Reema and Rakesh, parents to an adolescent. Reema works in a prestigious school while Rakesh is a manager in a bank. They have everything they need - a luxurious bungalow, the latest gadgets, help with all the chores, and of course, the most expensive car to travel in. As they finished the day’s routine and were winding up for the night - Rakesh was busy watching the news while Reema was going through a questionnaire she had given her students. Suddenly she gasps and sobs. Her husband enquired what had happened. She reads out the answer from the questionnaire "My parents have given me everything one could ever ask for -When I return from school, they make sweet talk, ask about my life, and then immediately engross in their mobiles. I honestly wish they would spend time with me - tell me stories, play with me, understand that I feel lonely". Rakesh suggests that Reema should have a conversation with the parents regarding the same. The students’ answer stunned the father when she said it was their own child who had written it.
This is but one example which ends up being an excuse for adolescents to search for alternative sources that will satisfy their urge to be appreciated, sympathized, and supported. They turn to the most accessible source - social media. Social media often plays a significant role in connecting an individual to various people. In these groups, you make any number of friends while also gaining sympathy, empathy, attention, adoration, validation, and feeling accepted - this keeps them hooked. Social media ends up being a compass on which one bases his/her/their life - resulting in drastic changes. Parents tend to ignore the behavioral modifications and proudly stand to claim how their child is tech-savvy.
Adolescence is a stage when hormonal changes are at their full pace. One’s family needs to be supportive, attentive & alert to the emotional needs of their kids. Lack of this leads teenagers to scourge social networking sites for the same. They create fake accounts, exposing their details, which often leads to a state of misuse - in turn leading to a loop of anxiety, depression, and even suicide.
The need of the hour is to adapt and adopt techniques that will keep them busy and develop their personality. INVOLVE- in family, community, and society-based jobs. Taking an early neighbor to the bank/hospital or market. Conduct basic tech classes for your family and community adults who need to learn new systems. INCULCATE values through your example, making their breakfast, washing the dishes irrespective of gender, visiting the elderly old grandparents, and listening to them may mean giving up on their screen time. INSPIRE- through their mistakes, disappointments, defeats, loss - A setback is typical; however, getting up to face the challenge is real!
These teenagers must never be treated as a child, for that is a stage of life that they have surpassed. It is better to treat them as if they had greater value than they actually show than if they had less and let them feel that their merits and self-respect are disregarded. But, above all, it is the education of adolescents that is important because it is then the child enters adulthood.
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