Alright, board exams are upon us. In a few short weeks, kids from all over the country will be sitting down for 10th and 12 boards, which they have been told will define their future.
Which is not entirely correct. But that is a discussion for another time.
Today, we are going to talk about how kids prepare for these exams, actually how parents make them prepare.
More specifically about how Indian parents have this habit of cutting cable and internet connections before exams.
And it’s nothing new. It used to happen in 2010 when I was giving my boards and 10 years later, it’s still happening.
I mean, what’s the point, really?
We get what their intentions are. The whole idea is basically that kids don’t waste time that they could use to study. But does it work? And even if it did work, is it necessarily the right thing to do?
First of all, let’s assume the kid sleeps for 8 hours and that’s being generous. Now assuming that schools and coaching classes are closed, you still have 16 hours in the day.
Take 2 hours for showering, eating, shitting, whatever you must do. We still have 14 hours.
Do you honestly believe that a kid who’s studied the whole year, needs 14 hours every day for an entire month to prepare?
Give the kid some credit. They’ve got this.
Now, obviously, with kids who haven’t studied the whole year, you need to put in some extra effort, a little more time.
But let’s be honest. There’s a reason they haven’t studied the whole year. So, unless you can put them under an Imperius Curse, you are not getting them to sit down for 16 hours a day.
You have to be patient with them, because trust me, kids, even backbenchers have their own issues to deal with. They already get told by everyone, literally everyone from teachers to the school bus driver.
Most of them think the whole world is against them anyway. So don’t suffocate them and confirm their beliefs.
And you need breaks. Everyone needs breaks. You can’t just go all Rahul Dravid and bat 3 days without a break.
You know what, Dravid himself has admitted to switching off after every ball. And I am no expert, but it would be safe to assume that it’s worked for him.
So let the kid take a break. Let them watch some TV, surf the internet a bit. Of course, don’t let it go overboard. But that’s what parents are for. Guide them through it. Help them plan their own breaks and let them take their mind off that insane pressure for a bit.
You can’t just expect 15-16-year-olds to sit that long and read. We understand that board exams are a very important junction in a kid’s career. But let the kid breathe. They are already under enormous pressure from you, the parents, the teachers and hell, even their peers.
So much so that they start pressurising themselves to limits nobody should ever have to. It’s still your kid. Cut them some slack.
Besides, there is nothing to prove that not going on the internet is magically going to get you good grades. Make a time table, follow it religiously. Study when you must, and chill whenever you can.
And mark my words, the kids will be alright.