By Paonam Thoibi
`Adults should be careful of what they are watching on TV in front of the children and should be able to make them understand whenever they ask questions`
Q: Dear Madam, there are a lots of questions I want to ask regarding our mind and mental health. But I`™ll do that one at a time. Is it really bad for children to be watching the television a lot? There are innumerable children programmes and also lots of cartoon channels. It becomes difficult for parents to decide which one our child should watch. -Shivananda, Imphal
Ans: Sometimes children watch the television because the adults do. Sometimes they don`™t even understand what they are watching. The child tends to absorb everything he/she watches and there`™s a high possibility for development of misconceptions. Therefore, adults should be careful of what they are watching in front of the children and should be able to make them understand whenever they ask questions. Parents should be able to engage their kids with hobbies and more physical activities which the children are interested in, which can also lead to a minimal amount of T.V viewing.
Selective viewing is advised for children as it is more stimulating to the mind when children watch a programme for a purpose `“ be it for learning or entertainment. For this, the parents and other adults can help to decide what the children want to watch in some stipulated timing. Later, as they grow and their cognition develops, they will be able to decide what they would like to watch by themselves. Not allowing a child to watch a particular programme will only increase his/her curiosity so adults should be cautious when they choose the channels and programmes.
Q: Most of us are seeing school going children with sack like school bags at their back. Also most students describe the amount of homework is too much and more than they could handle. What is your opinion on homework given to students these days? – Name withheld
Ans: It is very true and many students often complain that they hardly get any time to rest. Too much homework is associated with academic stress, a lack of balance in children`™s lives, sleep deprivation, physical health problems and less ability to make time for friends and family.
It`™s more disheartening for parents to know their children are given loads of homework which are not so very useful in their learning and they are compelled to do many pointless works because their grades may get affected if they do not. This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points.
Having said that, we cannot also overlook how some students who regularly do their homework tend to be more behaviorally engaged in school.
Therefore it should be looked into if the homework given to our children have a purpose and benefit and if it is designed to cultivate learning and development by making it interesting.
Q: Dear Counselor, my elder brother is around 30 years old. He seems a little down since the past few months and I am scared if he is suffering from depression. I have tried asking him what is wrong and he tells me he is just bored and that nothing is wrong at all. I want to stop asking further but would want to suggest him some tips on putting a check on his lifestyle. What do I tell him? -Name withheld
Ans: The best would be making him willing to talk to a counselor or a doctor to be sure of his condition and state of mind. It is always good not to ignore changes in behavior of our close friends and relatives. But before doing that we can still see if some changes in his lifestyle can change his attitude and mental state. Here are some strategies I can suggest you to help him.
We all know exercise can automatically lift our moods. Regular exercise is indeed a secret weapon to fight depression. It regulates the level of insulin in our body and helps boost endorphins- the `feel good`™ hormones in our brain. Our mood is also greatly affected by the gloom of winter. Safe sun exposure which allows your body to produce vitamin D, is great for the mood too.
Another factor which is as important is the food we eat. Foods have an immense impact on our body and our brain, and eating a balanced meal will be beneficial for both our mental and physical health. There are other effective stress-management methods to try as well, such as meditation, journaling, breathing exercises, yoga, or simply sharing feelings with a close friend.
Sometimes, people resort to taking drugs which is probably the simplest and easiest way to get rid of any foul mood. Feeling low is never pleasant, and people naturally want to escape it as quickly as possible. In such a time, it should be remembered that there are better ways and help is always at hand.
Readers are requested to send in their queries at mindmifp@gmail.com