Ever wondered what if the family or acquaintances around Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Azad would have compelled him to play just cricket and not take any interest in physics and aerospace engineering? Or what if the parents and mentors of Leander Paes coerced him to divert all his attention to academics and invest no time in tennis at all?
By throwing these questions before our readers, we, at Delhi Public School, Sushant Lok, just wish to underline one fact loud and clear – Each child has some individual inherent talents, god-gifted likings, and innate interests! It is hence very much important that we, the adults, refrain from dictating our diktats and using the comparison card with them. The thing is that we often tend to forget that no two persons have identical fingerprints, no two persons in the world look totally similar, and no two persons have equal mental capabilities, especially in the case of our children.
We, at DPS Sushant Lok, Gurgaon, have time and again come across people who keep drawing comparisons among kids, completely ignoring their individualities. To all such people who take the ‘comparison way’ to teach something to kids, we would just like to reiterate these golden words by Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of USA, “Comparison is the enemy to creativity and the thief of joy.”
And now, at this juncture, we, at DPS Sushant Lok, recognized among the top 10 schools in Gurgaon, would like to focus the spotlight on a few terrible issues that are seen cropping up among the young minds when they are constantly compared with their counterparts, siblings, or friends. Read on.
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Rise in anxiety and stress levels
Children of ever-comparing parents always strive towards pleasing their parents. When they are unable to do so, they become highly anxious, and their stress level also reaches an all-time high.
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Comparison sows the seeds for sibling rivalry
Comparing children is a definite means to stoke the blaze of sibling rivalry. Because children who are made to feel inferior to a sibling generally tend to fight to take back that supremacy. Such children never breathe freely amongst themselves.
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Children lose their uniqueness
There is an athlete, a singer, an engineer, or a belle dancer hidden inside each kid. They are unique in their particular way. When parents fail to understand this and keep comparing the kids with others, children lose their independence and uniqueness.
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Kids tend to sink in a sea of shyness
Children being compared continuously regard social gatherings and public interactions as ordeals. They neither like socializing with others nor do they show any interest in participating in any sort of group activities.
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Ignites a feeling of resentment towards parents
Yes, we, at DPS Sushant Lok, understand that by comparing children with others, parents primarily aim for their betterment. However, comparisons can often trigger reactions in the opposite direction. Children begin showing resentment towards their parents and stop trusting them. They regard them as terrible parents who seek opportunities to bring their kids down, which is definitely not a right feeling for the kids to sink in!
This is why, we, at DPS Sushant Lok, one of the top 10 schools in Gurgaon, always advise our respectable parent fraternity to abstain from comparing their kids with their counterparts, and instead switch to appreciating their strengths, giving them support, helping them cope with their weaknesses, and setting realistic benchmarks for them to achieve. We firmly believe that there is a dire need to understand that nobody can be a master of all trades and excel in all fields, be it academics, sports, oration, or dramatics. After all, not the comparisons drawn with their peers, but instead their unique and individual virtues and strengths help the little ones soar to new heights each day. Why keep echoing the weaknesses then; rather, focus on the strengths and help the kids reach sky-touching successes in life!