How to handle Gen Z? Schools give parents a helping hand
Bhubaneswar: If you are a parent and at times feel like tearing your hair, don’t fret. There are many others who feel the same, caught between work from home, household chores as well as looking after children. Handling children is not an easy job. And it is even more difficult if they are kept locked up at home for months on end. No wonder then that parents are feeling despondent these days and are opting for professional help to tide over the crisis.
Some private schools in Bhubaneswar have realised the problem facing parents and have provided them with an outlet to unwind themselves. From yoga, to counselling sessions, to baking and cooking tips as well as sessions on financial management and personal health care, schools are hiring professionals to reach out to harried parents. And all these are for free.
Many said to have benefited from these sessions which also deals with handling children in this changed scenario. DAV Public School, Pokhariput, recently organised an online counselling session for parents of children studying in classes VI and VII on ways to handle Gen Z.
“One of the biggest change in the lifestyle of children is the intrusion of more gadget time. Often, children are seen glued to the web,” said Sujata Sahu, principal.
Parents had asked the school for a session as children were becoming aggressive and impulsive and resisted the involvement of parents in their lives. The school arranged for an interaction with counsellor Jasobant Narayan Singhlal, who discussed case studies and provided them tips on handling children.
“My child had become addicted to the mobile phone. Following the session, we are applying the techniques cited by the counsellor to wean him away from the mobile phone,” said Mitrabhanu Rout, a banker, who son studies in Class VII. Rout said he adjusted his office timings to attend the session as it was for the betterment of his child.
Sai International School organised an event on Raksha Bandhan on a Sunday that brought many families together online. “Since the beginning of lockdown, we have launched an hour-long yoga session for parents which takes place every morning, five days a week,” said Bijay Kumar Sahoo, the school’s founder.
Besides, there are sessions on personal finance, physical and mental health, cooking and baking, all conducted by experts. “We send out a wellness rubric for parents to follow every week. It contains a set of activities that they can do at home to de-stress,” Sahoo added.
Project consultant Arabinda Das, who attended the yoga and stress management sessions along with his wife feels a lot calmer and self-assured now. “Initially, I was feeling very low. Now I feel this situation too shall pass,” said Das, whose daughter is in Class X.
KIIT International School organised storytelling sessions for students from nursery to Class III. “Mothers also participated in it,” said Sanjay Suar, principal. The school organised a webinar for students and parents to interact with scientists in NASA about life in space. “Amid the pandemic, we wanted to showcase future opportunities. Also, it was an interesting and new experience for children and their parents,” he added.
Besides, those like BJEM School and Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 4 conduct regular parent-teacher meetings and also carry out individual counselling of children whenever required. “Our school’s counsellor advices parents on ways to handle children who turn aggressive due to home confinement. We also advice parents on their health and well-being,” said Sandhya Jena, principal, BJEM School.
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