Do not push children too hard academically: Expert

KUALA LUMPUR: A clinical psychologist has urged parents not to put too much pressure on their children to perform academically, and instead encourage them to pursue their interests and passions for a more balanced upbringing.

Dr Cassandra Aasmundsen-Fry, who runs a clinical practice, said children have difficulty handling stress.

She was giving her views on recent comments by Untuk Malaysia, a movement to rejuvenate the education system, which said 70,445 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia 2022 candidates did not get certificates because they failed their Bahasa Melayu or History papers, or did not sit for the exams.

A total of 403,637 candidates sat for the written exams from Feb 20 to March 15, involving 3,355 examination centres nationwide. Education Director-General Datuk Pkharuddin Ghazali said a total of 75,322 candidates (20.1%) obtained average results, with at least a Grade C for all subjects.

Aasmundsen-Fry said: “Children who face too much stress and pressure have unrealistic expectations for their grades and will react disproportionately if they do poorly.

“Poor grades could also cause difficulties in the parent-child relationship as well as their academic and future success. But most importantly, they could develop chronic stress-related problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and increased susceptibility to illnesses.

“Psychologically, they can develop anxiety, depressive disorders, or trauma-based issues. Teaching children to communicate and regulate their emotions as well as how to handle stress is just as important as nurturing them academically. A well-balanced child can thrive in all areas of his life,” she said.

Mother of three, Thayalini Gunasegaran, said in the past, it was common for children to perform well in school as academic success was highly expected.

But today, when children think about exams, it is often associated with the stress and pressure to achieve a high grade.

“In the 80s, academic achievement was highly valued and exams were seen as an important milestone. Success in them would show our measure of intelligence and competence. They played a big role in solidifying our foundation for a better future.

“We were expected to study for long hours, which included school and homework. Furthermore, the focus on studying was not understanding but ‘rote learning’ and memorisation, which further tired us.”

Thayalini, who is a pre-school teacher in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam, said she has noticed a change in the way modern parents raise their children.

“There is an understanding of the importance of balance and the need to give children time to explore their interests and discover their passion. Every child is unique and cannot be put into a box and expected to perform.

“As a modern parent, instead of aiming purely for academic excellence, I try to instil a love for learning in them so that they can pursue their interests and passions.”

Ravindran Annamalai, who is a manager at a telecommunications company and a father of two, said the expectations placed on children during the 70s and 80s might have caused negative effects.

He said the shift in parental attitude could be due to social media and how it educates newer parents about how to view their children’s academics as well as focus more on the socio-emotional well-being of their children.

“A balanced approach that instils a love for learning and encourages the pursuit of passions may be more effective in helping children reach their full potential.”

A biology teacher from the Klang Valley, who gave her name as Clara Edmund, said: “The shifting parental attitudes towards children could be due to worries of negatively impacting their mental health and self-esteem.”

She said a societal shift in values and parenting styles plays a heavy role in promoting children’s self-esteem and emotional well-being.

“While it is difficult to generalise parenting, I believe it is moving towards a positive direction. With the growing understanding of child development and mental health, parenting approaches have shifted towards promoting positive values,” she said.

from Highlights https://ift.tt/4WmGA52
via IFTTT