PW invited parents of Arya Gurukul, Kalyan (E), Mumbai to share their insights on how they manage their children’s packed schedules without stressing them out.

“Given that 21st century children have extra busy academic schedules supplemented by sports and co-curricular activities, it becomes imperative for parents to work around them and find time with their children. At the dinner table, our 15-year-old daughter Aditi (class IX) is most relaxed and generally in a mood to talk. 

We encourage her to tell us about her daily challenges and try to offer solutions by narrating incidents from our own professional lives and how we overcame difficult situations. On weekends, we insist on her spending time outdoors while also encouraging the habit of nurturing house plants. Aditi is aware of the importance of self-organisation, a lesson we taught her from early years.” — Shweta Lazarus, Institutional Shareholder services Pvt. Ltd

“Our son Vedant (class VII) enjoys the benefits of living in a joint family which I believe is a great stress buster. On weekends, his grandparents play games with him and tell him endless folklore stories. On weekdays after school hours, we encourage him to read story books and practice playing musical instruments. Sometimes we play family games like chess, carom, cards and vocabulary building with him. Moreover by keeping Vedant in seniors’ company and fully occupied, we keep a healthy check on his screen time.” — Vrushali Vivek Kaneri, assistant professor and head, Dept of English, R.A. Podar College of Commerce & Economics

“I believe when parents keep communication channels open with their children, it gives them the confidence to openly share their anxieties and fears. Our six-year-old son Jayaank (class II) is a perfect example. Jayaank loves to narrate everyday incidents without any hesitation. We not only ensure he eats healthy food and gets restful sleep at night but also encourage him to play outdoor games rather than spend time with electronic gizmos and gadgets.” — Hardik Jayesh Kariya, Proprietor and designer, Owner at ClaSSiquE Furniture & Interiors

“Our 11-year-old son Aaradhya (class VI) participates in all academic and non-academic competitions with a high success rate without getting stressed. He is capable of coping with packed schedules because we have taught him the value of discipline and planning for contingencies well in advance. Moreover his recreation includes playing the piano, reading books, playing cricket, singing and creative art, which ensures minimum stress.” — Ravindra Pandeji, General Manager (Sales), Schneider Electric