Why lose hope? There’s a bright future ahead….

The recent spate of suicides has got me thinking. Young students are hanging themselves and others who share similar feeling are following suit. I thought about the whole thing and reflected on my own childhood- the childhood that I had is so different from what kids have today.

I was in school till just eight years back and suddenly things have changed so much. I see my cousins, nieces and nephews under tremendous pressure- pressure to perform, excel in studies and in extra-curricular activities too. Reason – fierce competition, to make to college, to get an admission to a course you want to, to meet your parents’ expectations. Such a young mind and so many tensions. And then we see weaklings who can’t take it anymore, taking extreme steps.

I think the reason could not having a proper dialogue with the parents. The not sharing of what you are feeling and what you want to be with them. When I was kid, a lot was expected out of me, but I was never pressurized. I got to do what I wanted. I could tell my parents whatever I had in mind, and I still do so. So much so that I told my mother I was seeing someone in the first month itself!

We were not used to the computers and other electronic gadgets such as playstations, video games, mobile phones etc etc. we believed in face to face interaction with friends rather than chatting online or over the phone. We played games ourselves, and not through some electronic joystick or keypads. Those were the days when we enjoyed complete freedom and made choices regarding career very late in life i.e. in the 12^th std. now kids have to decide what they want to become as early as in 5^th or 6^th.

Both parents have started working and also thanks to the growing trend of nuclear families, there are no grandparents around, also there is a trend of having only one child. All this put into one, makes the child feel lonely, pressurized and vulnerable to such acts.

The solution lies in increasing face to face contact with people, socializing, having a good family environment and not getting defeated easily. Parents should not force anything on their kids and give them a freedom of choice.

I hope in the coming days the suicides stop. All that I can say is RIP….the souls who have committed the greatest mistake of their life which has taken the gift of life away from them….halfway.