LOST INNOCENCE

Sample this:A class viii th student shoots his class mate to death in a private school in Gurgaon.Same incident is repeated in a school in West Bengal.Is it not shocking?This is not it.Primary class students are seen abusing their classmates,teacher’s and parents .They resort to using ‘F’,’S’,’B’ letter words. All were victims of the impulse to instant gratification.

The mainstream media are churning out endless clichés like increased violence on the television, increased consumerism and the decline of general morality as causes for the violence in kids.Lack of parental guidance and time and stress related factors contribute to this.They do not understand the value of life.Everything is served to them on a silver platter.All their demands are met.They have become too materialistic.If they are not given what their friends have,they resort to violent tactics. Marital discord among parents, alcoholic fathers, domestic violence and lack of parental affection are just few factors aggravating these tendencies. "Most parents mistake aggression for assertiveness and end up encouraging violent behaviour Some are too laid back to address the issue, while working parents put up with tantrums owing to their own guilt of not being able to spend enough time with the child," says Vadodara-based psychiatrist Dr Gautam Amin.

If you shuddered reading about children shooting down their classmates on campuses in the US, don't be relieved that it’s their problem. Violence among kids is plaguing schools here too, forcing school managements to employ counsellors, for both parents and teachers. "It is common to find young children enact a World Wrestling Federation (WWF) scene, emulating the characters that appear on television. It is sadistic and extremely violent at times. And it is not just boys, even girls are getting aggressive," says Geeta Sikdar, counsellor at Navrachna School in Vadodara. "Most violent children are attention-seekers, who derive sadistic pleasure by troubling their peers. They rip apart books, scream without reason or poke their friends with sharp instruments. This behaviour reflects on lack of parental care," notes principal of Vadodara's Bright Day School's primary division Rajni Agarwal.

Tushar Panchal (7) of Vadodara was forced to change his school twice this year after regular and violent fights with schoolmates. He was diagnosed as suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD),which manifests itself in the form of aggressive behaviour.

Though the scenario is slowly changing,there is still a long way to go.Society is increasingly becoming aware of the problems that these children face.As seen in the recent hit,Tare Zameen Par.They are no criminals or in layman’s term,mad.All they need is a little care and affection and that is going to set them on the right path.They should not be shunned away.
It is good to see that school’s are increasingly taking the services of councellor’s and encouraging activities like laughter session to de stress them.

We should fast take preventive measures before it is too late.