CHALLENGES
FACED BY CHILDREN Dr Jitendra Nagpal
Adolescence… the charm and the challenge
W hat is adolescence? . . . A time in a life span when children realize who they are and what they would
like to be. It is a time to forge an identity, career choices to be made, meaningful relationships to
be formed and sustained, technological advances tackled, attitudes and roles chiseled. Isn’t this process
of transition fraught with trials and tribulations? Information overload, mixed messages from media,
press, teachers, family and society at large add to the complexity and confusion already present in
young boastful minds. It is the charm and challenge and a subtle chaos too.
A vital stage of growth and development marks the period of transition from childhood to adulthood.
Adolescence is also the stage when young people extend their relationships beyond parents and family
and are intensely influenced by their peers and the outside world in general.
Adolescents, the generation that belongs to the 10-19 years age group, account for one-fifth of the
world’s population and nearly a quarter of India’s population. They have very special and distinct needs,
which can no longer be overlooked. By addressing their needs one would not only be contributing to
the socio-economic development of the country but also in other societal concerns like social harmony,
gender justice and population stabilization.
The Period of Storm and Stress
These are truly the years of creativity, idealism, buoyancy and a spirit of adventure. But these are also the
years of experimentation and risk-taking, of giving in to negative peer pressure, of taking uninformed
decisions on crucial issues, especially relating to their bodies and their sexuality. How adolescents cope
with these challenges is determined largely by their environment. Adolescence is thus a turning point
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Train up a child in a way he should go -- and walk there yourself once in a while. ~ Josh Billings
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One’s changing body size and configuration evoke a new set of reactions and expectations from
parents, peers, and society. Hormonal fluctuations precipitate new feelings and emotional responses,
and may take the adolescent by surprise, giving rise to doubts about normalcy, self-discipline, or social
acceptability. Societal and intrapersonal pressures to individuate from parents are counterbalanced by
recognition of vulnerability. The rights of adulthood are enticing, but the responsibilities may seem
oppressive. There is a need to be recognized as a unique individual, yet a fear of being ‘different’ exists
too. Forcing oneself to sit down and study is difficult when there are so many new urges, interests,
options, and potentials to explore.
Adolescents want to taste and test the world, often coming into conflict with parents, teachers, or
societal rules that attempt to curb their impulsivity or remind them of consequences.
Tackling Adolescents
Parents should be concerned and worried about what their children are up to, what kind of education,
guidance and how much freedom they need. Parents need to understand, guide and deal with them
tactfully. Excessive freedom may spoil the child whereas no freedom may also prove equally harmful.
While rules are essential, their implementation should not make the teenager feel like an outcast
amongst his friends. Therefore, parents need to handle them with care.
Many changes and adjustments are required to be made in their relationships with parents, friends and
themselves. Patience, openness, and an understanding attitude on the part of parents can make this
phase less confusing.
Parents need to tackle children in a much more efficient manner today. It calls for a thorough
understanding of the transition a child goes through during this period, exercising utmost restraint,
guiding and advising in a friendly manner, not being overambitious or pressurizing the child too much
on the part of parents.
Various factors have conspired collectively to designate adolescence as a discrete age stage. First,
children inevitably became more separated from adults as society moved from a rural to an urban
environment. Second, as a culture became more complex, the stages became increasingly refined,
with a definite step-like transition from infancy to adulthood. While some societies ritualize the shift
from youth to maturity, those lacking such rites have instead, a youth culture or institutionalized
adolescence. Against this background, various stage theories have evolved, all commonly portraying
childhood, adolescence, and adulthood as relatively distinct stages that can be identified sociologically,
physiologically, and psychologically.
Hope and Vision
For teenagers, coping with stress in a changing world is an uphill task. Any help for many or majority
of challenging or distressing states should not be denied or condemned within the family or social
context.
Development stress, emotional distress, academic pressures, physical stress, economic stress or social
distress—where do we begin? Is there time left for us to hold our little ones by their hand and straddle
them through the 21st century as happy and responsible citizens? The tasks are many but the bottom
line is that we should be able to reconcile and accommodate different realities—for the young are
indeed the role models of tomorrow.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr Jitendra Nagpal MD, DNB is a Senior Consultant Psychiatrist at
Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi. He is also the Program Director Expressions
India – The National Life Skills Education, School Health & Wellness
Program.
Dr Jitendra Nagpa
Nagpal
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