For parents who have children with intellectual functioning that seems not to be as good as that of others within the same age group, it is imperative that such parents don’t add emotional stress to the child’s intellectual deficits by exerting undue pressure on the child. I recently met a young woman who overheard me counseling some other people on the need to avoid the temptation of pressurizing rather than encouraging and motivating their children to do well. She then shared her own experience of how she kept on scolding her son for not bringing home medals until she observed that it was affecting the boy’s emotion. She then decided to cut him some slack by switching over from admonishing to encouraging the boy. She noticed that later on, he began to do exceptionally well. Stop taking out your frustration on your child! Some parents want their children to fulfill all the dreams they had about themselves. The chances are that your child would have your abilities passed down genetically. If you were not so good in mathematics, there is a high likelihood that your child will not be exceptional as a mathematician. The only way possible for your child to perform exceptionally well is for you to provide all the support and condition that will ensure that your child has better resources available (modify the environment), then sit back and hope for the best. Findings from some survey in the western world have shown that insecure children (even after becoming successful) have a tendency to become adults with problems of regulating their emotions. This further emphasizes the need to nurture our children aright towards guiding them into becoming balanced adults. Indeed, some parents have children who have peculiar differences. When these differences are not understood, they have the potential of getting the parents worked up, anxious and frustrated. When these parents experience negative emotions, they can transmit their experiences onto the child further worsening the situation. The vicious cycle that results from these could end up reducing the potentials of the individual as he/she grows through adolescence into adulthood. There is a need for concerned parents to explore the right avenues for getting reliable information about their child’s peculiar differences. Mental health and allied professionals have a duty to be the torchbearers in this regard. When these professionals are available, there is a need for parents to be willing to accept their recommendations and work with them as soon as possible and for as long as necessary with a positive mentality and realistic expectations. Kindly send your comments and questions to ola.ibigbami@yahoo.com, whatsapp +2348030652116 Till next week, Stay safe and sane; help someone do the same! Next week, I will begin the series titled “Talking Fists” To Receive Free News Updates, Add To Your WhatsApp: 08033857245; For Adverts Enquiries, Call 08083609209, To Publish Your Articles Or News Stories, Email editor@skytrendnews.com. READ ALSO! Between GoDaddy And Namecheap: Making The Best Choice For Domain Name Registrar READ ALSO! Google Developing New Tools To Enhance Article Search For News Publishers On Subscription READ ALSO! The Internet’s Future Lies With Its Next Billion Users — Sundar Pichai, Google CEO READ ALSO! Nigerian Filmmaker, Zuriel Oduwole Makes Forbes List Of 100 Most Influential African Women READ ALSO! Woman Marries Her Son After Getting Pregnant For Him READ ALSO! Smartphone Sales Fall As Samsung, Apple Consolidate Market Share READ ALSO! The Smart CEO: Top 5 Websites To Get Cheap Domain Name Registration ]]>