Pros and Cons of Academic Pressure On Children

Introduction

Life is a race. We all remember the famous dialogue of the movie “3 Idiots”. Life is a race. Suppose you don’t run fast. You will be like a broken egg. But there is a fundamental question what happens when you fall and die because of running fast in that race? Every parent wants their child to be successful in life. Be a winner, be a topper. That is what everybody wants the school, teachers, parents, or even our relatives. Academic pressure causes students to feel more stressed and anxious, negatively affecting their physical, social, and emotional well-being. Students may experience pressure to succeed academically from their parents, the school, professors, society, or even themselves. So why this academic pressure? 

The effect of academic pressure on children

According to a survey in 2021, 86% of parents claimed that they put pressure on their children because they had absent or careless parents as youngsters and wished to give their kids more of their attention. But what was the effect of this academic pressure on children? Did those children do well in their studies? Even if they did, were those children happy and stable, or did they suffer any stress or anxiety-related problems?

Children who have suffered from academic pressure depict the symptoms of depression, anger management problems, physical aggression, delinquency, and trouble maintaining relationships. Excessive educational force can significantly affect psychological well-being and sense of self. Sometimes parents, teachers, and school authorities are unaware they are putting their children under such extreme pressure.

They believe they motivate the child to improve, but the child constantly fears performance and bears the burden of disappointing parents and teachers. Each child is a unique child with a different personality. Try to pay attention to what a child wants to say.[1]

How to overcome academic pressure on children 

Parents, teachers, school authorities, everybody wants that children should succeed in their life. They all bear well in their hearts. But sometimes, they must remember to evaluate whether children are motivated or stressed. Kids require the praise that they put up a great effort. Rather than criticising a child, try to praise them for their performance. That will boost the child’s confidence and motivate them to perform better. Focus on the child’s health by putting in long hours in the study without relaxing or having 7 hours of sound sleep might disturb children’s health in the long run. So make sure that children sleep for at least 7 hours which will help them relax and be fresh and ready for the next day. Try and maintain proper rules for children rather than giving them ultimatums, so they do not fear failure.

They feel the same as us, but not listening to their feelings might make them question their self-importance. Validating a child’s feelings is essential to know they are heard and understood, and they can trust their intuition by openly and honestly discussing their emotions and feelings[2].

Pros and cons of academic pressure on children

While instilling in children the value of perseverance and keeping discipline is crucial, applying too much pressure can backfire and negatively impact their mental health.[3]

Let’s understand some of the Pros and cons of academic pressure on children;

Pros

•       Begins to Work Hard: Children should be taught the importance of working hard from an early age, and one can only succeed through perseverance and hard work.
•       Achieves Higher Grades: If children are academically inclined and parents keep a close eye on them, they try hard to perform to the best of their abilities and show what they’ve learned by getting higher grades.
•       Live A Disciplined Life: While parents may pressure their children to work hard, they also understand the value of acting appropriately at the appropriate moment. They advise their kids to follow the rules, eat on schedule, go to bed and wake up on time. Children acquire discipline in this way.

Cons

• Mental instability: Excessive pressure on children can make them mentally ill rather than thriving. Parents must be careful to pressure their children within a specific limit.
• Onset Dissatisfaction: A child may feel disappointed in himself if his parents constantly pressure him and are never satisfied with his accomplishments.
• More prone to cheat: Parental pressure mainly focuses on getting kids to accomplish goals rather than getting them to learn things, which makes kids more likely to cheat. Children are more likely to cheat since achievement is valued more than the learning process.

Conclusion

Schools can support kids who feel pressure to perform well academically by identifying indicators of stress and anxiety in their pupils, assisting them in learning effective coping mechanisms, collaborating with parents, highlighting the need for balance, and setting reasonable expectations.

References

1. J. C. Watson and A. A. Watson, “Coping self-efficacy and academic stress among Hispanic first-year college students: The moderating role of emotional intelligence,” J. Coll. Coun’s., vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 218–230, 2016.
2. “What are the effects of academic pressure?” Pacific Teen Treatment, 23-Nov-2021. [Online]. Available: https://pacificteentreatment.com/mental-health/what-are-the-effects-of-academic-pressure/. [Accessed: 15-Mar-2023].
3. “Advantages and disadvantages of academic stress,” Ipl.org. [Online]. Available: https://www.ipl.org/essay/Advantages-And-Disadvantages-Of-Academic-Stress-PCCPBV3KXU. [Accessed: 15-Mar-2023]