Children are the greatest gift from God. Their very presence brings joy and happiness. You can learn a lot by watching children. But by unnecessarily worrying about their future we impose ourselves upon them and try to mould them to ensure that they become perfect. However, this continuous process of training, disciplining and molding children does more harm than good. Children actually need a loving and supportive atmosphere at home. However, it no way means that we should cater to their every wish. You need to be a friend and a guide so that the children open up and talk to you as they face very many issues in their life. Here is a look at some of the serious issues faced by the children:

• Technology (Over) Exposure
  Compared to yesteryears, today’s kids are exposed to a world of myriad possibilities and opportunities. However, they do not realize this and idle away their time surfing online. Instead of using technology in a constructive way, the children get trapped in the razzle dazzle of the digital world. We, as parents, are to be blamed for this because at the tender age of 2, we give children access to electronic gadgets and the Internet. As a result, children are over exposed to explicit materials, which they are obviously ill-equipped to comprehend efficiently. This affects their mental and physical health and wreaks havoc on their entire life. However, it no way means that children should be kept away from the modern technology but parents need to ensure Internet safety.
• Academic Pressure
  Academic pressure from parents and sometimes from schools takes a toll on the kids. Parents’ worry over grades and school management’s concern over results put tremendous pressure on kids. The desire of the kids to achieve perfection and live up to others’ expectations when it comes to exams, sports or competition also drive them to depression.
• Peer Pressure
  Most often kids succumb to the pressure of doing something they don’t like just to fit in with a particular group. They find it difficult to resist the pressure and are forced to change their behaviour, value or attitude. This influence by peers, often in negative ways, affects the social and emotional development of the children.
• Bullying
  Bullying is a form of aggressive behaviour where children are subjected to verbal, social, and physical harassment. They are ill-treated not just to embarrass and insult them in front of others but also to isolate them in school and in the neighbourhood. Bullying drives children to emotional breakdowns and panic attacks. And those who indulge in bullying also suffer from emotional problems which later lead to substance abuse, fights and they might even drop out of school.
• Temptation
  Children often fall into temptation of smoking, drinking, drugs, and other dangerous behaviours as a result of peer pressure or due to their inflated self-esteem. The widespread availability of explicit materials on the Internet also tempts the children to explore further.
• Disappointment, Failure & Rejection
  Most children find it extremely difficult to face disappointment, rejection or failure. They take it personally and often take the extreme step. Whether the setbacks or let downs are related to education, career or personal relationships, children must be taught to cope with it, take it in their stride and then move forward.

At Avid

As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) statistics, about 12% Indian children suffer from mental disorders. Children between the ages of 4 and 16 years are found to be victims of unhealthy diets, peer pressure, body shaming and family breakdowns. At Avid Mentoring Hub we have the best child psychologist who knows for sure that one of the major reasons for the rising mental disorders among children is because of their low self-esteem. Children compare themselves to others and assume that they do not measure up to others who are smarter, good looking and popular. This leads to anxiety, insecurity, fear, mood swings, and aggressive outbursts.

Our child psychologist or counsellors at Avid counselling center are adept in handling these issues and in guiding the children to the right path. By providing psychotherapy for kids, our clinical psychologist works on their personal and interpersonal issues. Children can discuss their emotions and we listen to them with an open mind. We do not judge them but help the children to look at the bigger picture. These children lack direction in life and therefore with the support of the parents, we encourage them to focus on their talents and to utilize their time in doing activities that they enjoy. Our self-esteem counselling helps them to realize their self-worth. We urge them to create a core group of friends having the same wavelength. Our child psychotherapist teaches the children different means to cope with stress and tension and the different ways to say no and to not succumb to peer pressure. With our therapy and counselling activities, Avid aims to:

• Provide an amicable atmosphere for children to discuss their issues and problems
• Help children in identifying the real issues and work on it
• Empower children to find common ground and then grasp the true meaning of life
• Assist children in leading a more productive life