A guide to the CBSE career guidance portal

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Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), as part of the career guidance initiative, has launched a career guidance portal – www.cbsecareerguidance.in. The platform presents valuable career related information to students and is quite simple to use. The portal provides comprehensive information and is free.  Presented in this article is a simple walkthrough that’ll help navigate and make the most of this free career planning resource.

Steps to Register

There are two ways to start – you can register or login with an existing gmail account at cbsecareerguidance.in. We took the registration route and created a new account. Basic information was sought at this stage, including the name of the state, school and subjects opted in class 11th/12th. A verification email is sent and post confirmation, registration is complete.

Inside the Portal

CBSE career guidance portal’s welcome dashboard offers you 3 exploration options to select from viz., Career, College & Exams. Additionally, you can select your choices for the following couple of questions:

What do you like doing apart from studying your subjects?

Which subjects do you enjoy studying?

Once you answer these questions, career options in the selected category are provided. Let’s understand with an illustration. If we list biology as the preferred subject, the first career option is ‘Critical & Trauma Care Specialist’. Clicking on the option takes you to the detailed page, where the following subheads are covered:

Introduction to the field

What do you do as a career?

Future growth / how much you can make in this career

Career pathways (how to become a professional)

Certifications

Skills & aptitude

Placement companies

Links to external blogs & journal

Real life professionals

Technologies

Job designations

Tools at Work

Additional resources & more…

Alternatively, you can also go back to the dashboard and select career, college or exam icon to gather information about a specific query.

For instance, by clicking on the college option, one can search for various colleges providing a specific course, along with details like location, fee & rankings.

Pros & Cons

The website is definitely a brave and encouraging effort from India’s leading education board. Given the number of students who enrol with CBSE every year, this is certainly a much useful step in the right direction. Meaningful data, in quite a simple manner, has been summarised under one umbrella, which certainly makes it an easy to search portal. Especially given the plethora of resources, as a learner, it is useful to access a website that is managed by an institute of repute and is available free of cost.

A drawback however, of the website at this stage seems to be the lack of promised information under the assorted subheads. There are information gaps that still need to be filled. For instance, continuing with the selected career option, if we select the career pathway and choose the Post Graduation Degree link, the information doesn’t suffice. Just a broad category is mentioned, which doesn’t really help with the steps thereof and therefore, research outside the website is suggested. Likewise, details regarding all colleges and courses aren’t fully updated. Nonetheless, there are enough external links and videos to complement the research. In a nutshell, the CBSE career guidance portal is an evolving platform and can certainly serve as a decent starting point.

Are you a super parent?

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or

Yet another victim of the ‘parenting guilt trap’?

In a typical middle-class family, if both parents work, they are able to financially provide for their children. They can manage the expensive schools, fancy events, elaborate holidays and thus scrape just about enough to keep up with the demands of the high-profile socialite classes. However, if both parents work, who is supposed to raise kids? Working moms aren’t very popular amongst the righteous parenting groups. They fail to attend to all PTMs and struggle during the regular mom networking get-togethers.

Stated is just an illustration of the diabolical confusion parenting these days brings along. Rules seem to be ever changing. We grew up in an environment where it was rather normal for parents to scold or even slap the kids around. Now however, even raising the voice beyond a certain optimal level is frowned upon. We can no longer expect our children to help; on the contrary, they ought to be given space and ought to be provided with complete services and devotion. After all, they have sooo much to manage. It is inhumane to expect them to pitch in and help keep up the place.

While there is conspicuous chatter about children’s overwhelming lives and competition and emotional well-being … what about the parents’ mental health???

The invisible nobodies

Why isn’t anybody asking about how we are coping? Grandparents love their grand children and shower them with gifts and lovely anecdotes. However, when it comes to their own kids, i.e. the current parents, the older generation is super critical and nitpicky. We weren’t good enough as kids and now we are failing as parents. Neither of the two generations cares enough to at least acknowledge the woes of parents today. We are the ones trying to understand our kid’s emotional and social needs, while at the same time valiantly fighting the scars of our childhood. We are learning the changing rules, forced to adapt at an unbelievable pace and yet when it comes to appreciating the work, even a thank you note seems way too much.

Damning competition

As if the world isn’t difficult enough already, we stupid parents have further complicated things by getting into an unsaid competition. We are trying to be super parents and, in this race, ridiculously fighting for the top spot. That might entail horrifying shopping bills on stuff like Legos or the latest sneakers or following a super chill / super cool parenting strategy of allowing it all.  What we’ve forgotten is that there cannot possibly be a “Super Parent”. This ideal person simply does not exist and thus wouldn’t it make more sense to exit this addictive spiral of self-loathing and head towards a more accepting life of a parent who is trying to learn with every passing day?

In an encapsulation, kindly consider this monologue a humble appeal to parents all around. Let’s just normalize the whole concept of raising kids and while we might not have the power to control any outside forces that impact, let’s be reasonable and stop competing with each other. In other words, instead of judging all parents around you and showering the lot with critical raised eyebrows, try and attempt a more understanding smile, thus leading to a breathable environment for parents all around.

Let tears flow … the power of CRYING!

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We are all meant to be strong; crying is a sign of weakness.  The world we live in is ruthless and any sign of weakness will be taken as a failure and used against us.

This thought terrifies, especially when it comes to our kids. We don’t want our children to be fragile. As a parent, we want our kids to be equipped to face the harsh tones of life and thus are often tempted to advocate the idea of ‘no tears’. Boys don’t cry and these days, cause girls are as strong as boys, they shouldn’t cry either. While the idea of gender equality is a welcoming thought, the notion of banning tears is a problem that ought to be dealt with.

Let your mind & heart detox … Crying HEALS!!

Crying is a natural phenomenon, which a human is expected to perform. In fact, there is something medically wrong with those, who cannot shed tears. This exercise of shedding tears is imperative for both body & mind and is not necessarily in response to a negative emotion. Often, we cry because we are happy; tears can reflect ecstasy, achievement and fulfillment. The stated however doesn’t undermine the importance of tears as an expression of grief. Often these tears, help cope with the toughest conundrums and face the hardships life puts us through.

Emotional & Physical Benefits of Crying

  • Crying releases toxins – Crying helps release a lot of harmful toxins from the eyes and thus enables natural cleansing. Tears lubricate the eyes and help relieve stress.
  • Helps fight pain and initiate self-soothing – By allowing us to release our emotions, we ease pain. Both psychologically and physically, when we cry, we allow ourselves to start the process of healing. This emotional outburst improves our brain temperatures and helps us cool down and restart.
  • Crying is a vent – It is not always possible to express in words. Tears act as a powerful mode of communication in such cases. It is often said that tears are words, expressed by the heart. Especially in the case of children, when they are not able to process their emotions, crying helps balance it out.  

Create a Safe Space

As a parent or a partner, create an embracing environment. Those whom you love should be able to come to you and express themselves in any manner possible. Rather than creating rules of idealistic behaviour, offer a comforting safe space in your embrace, where they can express, even through tears. Help by initiating the process of healing – promote healthy relationships through open verbal & non verbal communication.  

Crying is better than being numb. Only a heart that experiences pain, sheds tears. If we force our kids to completely shut off this strong expression of emotions, we are training them to be robots. Can you imagine the life of a person who does not feel or even worse, is not allowed to express? Tears are a powerful communication tool … embrace the strength of crying.

Scorecard versus Real Life – The Marks Mystery

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Newspapers right now are flooded with pictures of students who have managed to score more than 90% in their class X or XII board exams. All schools and coaching institutes are advertising their scholars. After all, these educational setups are the ones preparing the next generation of leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs for us. God forbid if somebody scored less than 80%, the world might just end now. Wonder what Rancho from 3 Idiots has to say about this.

Do you remember your friends from school who aced in grade 10th?

Go down memory lane; even dig out a school photo if you have one. Now open Facebook or Instagram and see how many of those faces you recognize in your vast list of long-lost friends. Though their faces might be completely unrecognizable now, I am sure you remember a few.

The weirdly tall fellow who was always trying to hide in his corner desk cramped towards the wall. That pretty petite girl who was undoubtedly the class princess and object of envy. And of course, the teacher’s pets, who always thrived to secure top positions and never failed to answer any question. While you were still figuring out the question, they promptly raised their hands to answer. Exams were a battle for them and winning was the only option. Girls with long braids and boys with ruptured teenage voices, clinging on to their books, cramming it all up to ensure perfect scores.

Where are these academic geniuses in life now???

The evident ‘Hypocrisy’!!!

We talk about street smart and discuss the value of life skills. We act like the most open minded, intellectually qualified modern parents, who totally understand the relevance of true – deeper learning. As and when it suits us, we even blame the current education system and bring out all that needs to be changed or challenged. We claim to fully acknowledge the pertinence of practical growth and exposure in life.

But, while we love advertising our revolutionary beliefs, the true reflection of intelligence is still the school board exam SCORECARD.

We are the famous aunties and neighbours who pester kids about their marks in the board examinations. In fact, for a lot of parents, marksheets are currently their profile pics. We talk about an all-inclusive education system and yet when it comes to selecting a school, we go by the adverts promoting an age-old rotten rote learning system. Once the scores are released, we track down all the kids and find out their performance in board examinations. After all, marks in class 10th and 12th are the only true reflection of a child’s intelligence. If you do not remember the year Hitler attacked Jews or when the French Revolution reached villages, you are definitely doomed for life. Don’t you agree??

Truly skip the rat race!

If possible, for your child’s sake, make an honest effort and opt out of this silly competition. Life is a lesson we are still learning. There is a long way to go and how we prepare our kids today, will decide the outcome. Practical education ought to be the focus. Let them experience life beyond school books and tuition. Let them explore, make mistakes and gather pieces to start afresh! These marks will be forgotten, but the scars of this undue pressure won’t fade easily. Each child is special and full of possibilities. Ensure that there’s enough scope to experiment and weave a life worth living!

What Kind of a Parent Are You?

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Parenting has undergone massive shifts overtime. A slap every now and then, which was a common parenting tool in 90s, is no longer acceptable. We are the cool ones who like to hang out with kids, we interact with them and rather than enforcing our aspirations, we help them achieve their passions and goals.

Well serious stuff aside, ever wonder what your parenting style says about you? Are you really as fun as you think you are or beneath the cool mask, there is the old Hitler style parent directing the terms? Take this fun quiz to find out if you’re a Perfect 10, Hitler, Chaos Controller or the Coolest Buddy!

Questions (Choose one answer per question):

Your kid spills juice on the couch. You…

  1. Calmly hand them a towel and help clean it up
  2. Lecture them about being careful next time and make then clean
  3. Yell, then clean it up yourself
  4. Laugh and say, “Oops! Let’s turn this into a science experiment!”

Bathing rules in your house…

  1. A bath every day with a bit of time flexibility
  2. Fixed bath timings every morning & night – no exceptions
  3. Chase after your kid every day and try to ensure hygiene
  4. Plan fun bathtub games and chill with bubble makers

When it comes to bedtime…

  1. You have a consistent routine with calming music
  2. Lights out at exactly 8:00, no exceptions
  3. Every night is a surprise
  4. You let them fall asleep in your bed while watching cartoons

Your child is bored…how do you react?

  1. You dig out a book from the bookcase and read together
  2. Remind that the room has been messy forever and ought to be cleaned
  3. Cuddle together and start explaining the series you’ve binge watching
  4. Screen time!

You pack lunch with…

  1. Organic veggies, fruits, and whole grains
  2. A perfectly balanced meal with a motivational note
  3. Whatever is in the fridge and fits in a bag
  4. Nuggets, cookies, and a juice box – they earned it!

Your child wants to dye their hair blue. You say…

  1. “Let’s talk about why you want to and find a safe way.”
  2. “Absolutely not until you’re 18.”
  3. “Sure, just don’t stain the tub again.”
  4. “Only if I can dye mine too!”

Your child drew on the wall. You …

  1. Google how to remove stains and as a lesson engage you child in the clean up
  2. Immediate yelling followed by a strong glare and warning
  3. Click a pic and post it on insta
  4. Pick up a crayon and work on the mural together

    Your dream family vacation is…

    1. A quiet cabin in the woods with no screens
    2. A historical tour with educational stops
    3. A last-minute road trip with no plans
    4. Disneyland, every year – no exceptions

    You child remembered about the art project at 1 am on a school night. You…

    1. Lecture, order supplies and sit down with your kid to complete the project
    2. A teachable moment – you send your kid to the school, without the project
    3. You work on the project all by yourself
    4. No school tomorrow!

    Your biggest parenting weapon is…

    1. Constant interactions with your kid
    2. The deadly stare and that deep Mom/Dad voice
    3. Avoidance to the extent possible
    4. Bribery – Snacks, toys, vacations…whatever works!

    Results:

    • Mostly A’s: The Perfect 10
      Although it is not really possible to be the perfect parent, but you are definitely close. You are a Zen master who is calm, thoughtful, and emotionally attuned – you’re all about mindful parenting and balance.
    • Mostly B’s: The Hitler
      You love your rules and not just your spouse, even the kids aren’t allowed to break any. Structure, consistency, and discipline are your parenting cornerstones. You run a tight ship!
    • Mostly C’s: The Chaos Controller
      Putting out the fire is an art and you are an expert. Life is wild, and you’re riding the wave! You may not have a plan, but you’re doing your best.
    • Mostly D’s: The Coolest Buddy
      Everybody preaches about being friends with the child, you’ve done it! You’re fun, spontaneous, and always in your kid’s corner – sometimes a little too much maybe!

    Don’t let AI cripple your kid

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    Be it a simple mathematical calculation, an English assignment for school or for that matter the captions for a reel they are editing, children these days are simply unable to operate without the artificial intelligence tools.

    Try an experiment to understand better.

    Give your child a small writing task, could be a letter or even a text message in English, without the help of any online tool or search engine. Just leave your kid with a pen and a notebook and check the results. Even a basic task like the stated will turn into a mammoth challenge. Now let your child be in the room with a mobile or ipad or a laptop and try the same exercise. You will have your answer in minutes. Thanks to programs like Chat GPT, all answers are readily available.

    Don’t confuse gadget friendliness with intelligence

    My uneducated maid’s three year old daughter (doesn’t go to school) is able to operate smartphone seamlessly. She is able to scroll through reels and even save selected ones in playlist. Does this mean she is super intelligent?

    We often hear grownups say things like kids today are so intelligent. Look at how comfortable they are with technology. Well of course they are comfortable with smartphones, Bluetooth speakers and laptops; these are akin to toys for them. Children now days are more exposed to gadgets than books. In an average Indian household, at any given time, the number of gadgets on a table will exceed the number of books or newspapers. So if they can operate the keypad efficiently or have exceptionally developed online surfing skills, it doesn’t qualify as an adequate indicator of intelligence.

    AI is hampering creativity

    If a few clicks can get you all the answers, why bother? Google, Siri, Alexa know it all. Why think … let’s just ask them!

    This is the typical mindset of a child these days. Easily available information is making life easier but at the same time, it is restricting the thought process. Rather than thinking about the situation, kids are merely relying on automated system generated responses. Small things like reading a map / chart on the metro station to check the train route seem impossible; they’d rather check the phone for next station details. A child’s creative growth is being largely hampered in the process. Resultantly, practical life skills like problem solving and abstract thinking are taking a major hit!

    AI is promoting an emotionally challenged generation

    Since the kids are no longer used to the idea of understanding things and preparing for adequate responses, their ability to perceive situations and accordingly manage circumstances is largely being challenged. Owing to the nuclear family structures and working parents, most of the time these days is spent with AI tools, which leads to emotional development issues and creates problems like social anxiety. The dependence on texting is so much that rather than speaking with a person, they rely on emojis to convey the message.

    Provide the needed Learning Environment

    AI has caused way too much dependence on technology. This excessive technical engagement, coupled with reduced human interaction, is impacting the child’s intellectual and psychological growth. They thus need an environment where they are encouraged to think and express in words. A schema like ‘Conversation Club’, which is driven by emphasis on the art of communication is the need of the hour!

    Communication Skills & Academic Excellence

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    ‘Envisage’, ‘social contract’, ‘resplendent’, ‘grievances’, ‘hoarding’… these are just a few words from the very first chapter of the history book grade IX. We’ve all heard our children crib about the complex and boring chapters. We have witnessed their struggles with learning. We have seen them cram up the material and often wondered about the fruitfulness of this exercise. I mean if kids have to memorize those hefty books and not remember a word after the day of the exam, what is the point of it all??

    What if the child doesn’t have to memorize it all? What if instead of just trying to remember each and every word of the sentence, they understood the idea covered in the chapter and phrased the answer in their own words. Wouldn’t this understanding of the concept enable long term benefits in terms of academic success?

    The stated is just one of the many benefits of improved communication skills in the life of students.

    Communication skills for students – See your child blossom!!

    • Better understanding of the scholarly curriculum – As elaborated above, the most critical aspect of enhanced language skills is the apparent ease of learning. Kids who understand the language better are not forced to robotically cram up the lessons. Owing to the evolved communication skills, they comprehend and thus enjoy better understanding and retention.
    • Increased class participation – Being able to comprehend and rephrase in their own words allows kids to ask questions and clearly answer when asked. A grasp of the English language brings clarity and thus enables two way communication between the educator and learner. Comprehension of the concept being taught thus paves the way for enhancement of the oral communication skills.
    • Emergence as a group leader – The one who has a tighter grip on the subject is naturally awarded the central chair in group discussions and class projects. Other students display natural confidence in the kid who is able to explain and thus the opportunities to lead and stand out, naturally follow.
    • Improved performance in written exams – Clarity of the subject and fluent written expression help frame better answers and thus the desired scores. Improved written communication skills further enable structured answers to meet the examiner’s criterion.
    • Overall confidence and life skills – Together the stated facets reap confidence in a child. The verbal and non-verbal aspects of communication ensure a learned and confident approach towards all kinds of academic and non-academic situations. Being able to express allows seamless exchange of ideas amongst teachers and students and parents and children.
    • Enhanced personal relationships ­– The ability to express helps form the desired bonds with other students. Kids face a lot of social issues on account of broken communication. Over dependence on gadgets and AI has fractured their ability to maintain real world relationships and this is where Conversation Club mends the broken bridges.

    Working on communication skills is akin to watering the roots of the plant. It is a regular process and with the right guidance and supervision, fruits of success can be reaped. At Conversation Club, we provide a customized curriculum for students wherein the nuances of communication skills are carefully clubbed with academic concepts and thus learning among students is largely promoted.

    Communication Skills – The Essential Ingredient of Life

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    What are soft skills?

    Definition – personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. Communication skills are an important element of the soft skills.

    Communication skills in the life of a student!

    Aman and Kriti are in the same grade and academically they are both decent students. In most of the subjects, they both score in the above average category and are usually ready with all answers. However, if you’ll ask teachers, Kriti will be the one they’d recognize in a batch of 40 students in the class. As for Aman, his report cards will reflect decent performance, but his participation in class and ability or rather the lack of ability to verbally express across various platforms ensures that he remains unnoticed. But how does it matter? He is a good student and will secure decent grades!

    Well certainly he will perhaps score fine but his inability to effectively communicate will keep him hidden away from all opportunities. Despite being a hardworking student, he won’t be noticed or given a platform to perform even better because he is not able to display the knowledge that he has acquired by way of seamless communication.

    Good communication is the bridge between confusion & clarity – Nat Turner

    Communication skills in the life of a professional!

    Who do you think will have a better chance at the interview, Aman or Kriti? Let’s consider a hypothetical scenario where both have completed the same courses from the same institution and have more or less similar mark sheets. As freshers, they are being considered for a profile that along with the technical skills, requires team work and reporting. Kriti, on account of the enhanced communication skills and exposure received as a student, will clearly outshine Aman and therefore her chances of bagging the job are higher.

    Even if we consider a case where there are multiple opportunities and both get selected, the chances of Kriti working her way up the career ladder are much steeper. Any organization, irrespective of the industry or job profile, is seeking employees who can help integrate human resources and outshine as leaders. Honed soft skills, especially communication skills, help achieve the said objective.

    Of all the life skills available to us, communication is perhaps the most empowering.” — Bret Morrison

    Communication skills in relationships!

    Relationships demand a lot of work and still many fail. While there are many reasons behind the troubles encountered by those in these failed relationship, a common denominator is the inability to express and understand each other. Communication isn’t just about saying, it is also about listening. In fact, an important element is the ability to listen and understand what the other person is trying to say. Additionally, one must be able to give appropriate words to the emotions they are going through and thus being proficient at the art of communication makes life much easier.

    Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage of friendship, is conversation – Oscar Wilde

    Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing – Rollo Reece May

    Sow the seeds of a happy life with simple communication steps

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    Once upon a time, we lived in big joint families. There were uncles and aunts and brothers and sisters and relatives who were always visiting. To add to the equation, boundary walls of the houses were tiny enough to peek into the neighbor’s yard and engage in priceless chat sessions over a cup of tea.

    Life now however is different. We’ve moved into nuclear setups and neither the uncles nor the aunts have time to visit. Cousins have moved to different states or countries and the houses have turned into buildings where we hardly know the family living next door.

    Like any other change, this transition too has its pros and cons. There is independence, privacy, financial growth, etc., but there is also a little too much alone time – the overdose of seclusion. While these changed equations have impacted us all, the younger generation is facing some serious challenges. Kids are glued to their gadgets and their social skills have taken a major hit. No wonder, behavioral issues and problems like social anxiety & lack of confidence amongst kids are evident in every household.   

    How to mend the broken bridge??

    How do we establish the broken channel of communication? How do we prepare these youngsters to gear up for the world? The lost art of communication … how do we revive it??

    • Walk under the stars – start the tradition of post dinner walk with kids. These casual strolls have multiple benefits. Owing to gadget addiction, children these days are hardly engaging in any kind of physical activity. Moreover, too much screen time and life within closed walls are hampering the mental growth. These walks will ensure physical fitness and gradually, the time spent together will lead to discussions. Do not force your kids to talk, instead share anecdotes from your childhood. Eventually, they will open up and will start sharing their day.
    • Go old school – bring back the old board games from the storeroom; plan gadget free game evenings on the weekends. Clean the spider webs off the carom board, pull out the chess board, find a pack of cards, see if you can grab the box of monopoly; rather than talking about careers, marks and competitions, treat your kids with a stress free evening. Instead of lecturing about the overindulgence of mobile phones and upcoming exams, give them the option of an easy fun time.
    • Give the gift of a channel to express – most kids avoid any kind of verbal communication these days because they are hesitant. The lack of speaking opportunities has led to a silent generation that is way too scared of making mistakes. Help the young ones, overcome this hesitation, this social anxiety, this lack of confidence with the help of communication experts @ conversation club. They need an encouraging platform to express and to freely make mistakes. These crucial ingredients of expression are offered here at CC.

      Remember the most important rule – communication cannot be forced! You cannot just impose the rules when it comes to interacting. Help your child naturally open up; offer the space, comfort and guidance to express and engage.

      Shhh!!! Mental health – don’t talk about it!

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      Communication gaps and child’s mental health

      If your child had a cold, you’d look for the right syrup in your medicine cabinet. If the kid hurt his knee, you’d fetch cotton and Dettol to clean up the wound. If there are lice in your child’s hair, you’ll search and buy the suitable anti lice kit. However, if the kid has trouble expressing himself or if the child is not able to understand in school or talk freely with people around her, the reaction is to either ignore the problem or scare them into performing better.

      Why do we Indian parents have such a hard time dealing with mental problems? Why is it that instead of helping our children through these difficult times, we abandon them because of our own irrational prejudices?

      The stigma associated with mental health

      Stigma Meaning – A mark of shame!!!

      My child cannot be sick!!! Do you ever say this to a doctor if your child is running a fever??

      No … you instead look for the best doctor and avail the most suited medication for treatment. However, when it comes to problems related to their social, emotional or psychological well–being, it is all a hushed – hushed topic.

      This lack of understanding, compassion and communication makes the problem even bigger than it has to be.

      Mental health of children and young adults

      Psychological issues do not mean that the person is mad and needs to be institutionalized or disbarred from society. They have varying impacts and in the majority of the cases, the impact isn’t severe. In fact, if treated well in time and dealt with cautiously, the symptoms can be managed and the issues can be gradually minimalized.

      Communication & social skills of children suffering from mental health challenges

      The communication gap is the biggest challenge when it comes to diagnosing & treating children and young adults. On account of the stigma attached with the problem, a large majority of kids facing these issues aren’t even diagnosed properly. Parents are too worried about their societal image and thus instead of assimilating the essence of the problem, they resort to evasion tactics. The desire to ignore and hide the problem allows the poison to spread.

      Even the children themselves are scared of this ignorant public outlook and thus find it unsafe to share their problems with anybody. Their silence takes different forms – some face anxiety and depression, while others opt for a more stubborn approach, where they end up hurting themselves and others around them.

      Foster an environment of empathy and acceptance

      We the parents, educators and the community have to be more accepting. We are all mature adults here and it is imperative that we be more caring and empathetic towards the problems these children and young adults are facing. Mental health discussions aren’t and shouldn’t be considered taboo. As a society, we ought to grow and that shall only happen when we promote life driven by open conversations regarding all fields including mental health in children and adults.