PW invited parents of Bal Bharati Public School, GRH Marg, New Delhi to share solutions they believe will help children cope with anger, stress and mood swings

“My 17-year-old son Kunal (class XI) is visibly difficult when he is unable to resolve difficult situations or has had arguments with teachers/peers at school. Sometimes a brisk walk or engaging him in the kitchen to cook his favourite meal helps to ease his mood and he starts communicating naturally. At other times, direct talk seems like the best solution. One word of caution though. Under no circumstances must parents display signs of impatience as this will only push children further into their shells.” — Vinita Dhawan, teacher, PGT Computer Science, Bal Bharati Public School

“I believe children are impacted by parents’ behaviour much more than we realise and accept. So rule #1 for me is that I watch and control my own reactions to stressful situations. Secondly, I ensure that my daughter Advita (class IV) is nurtured in a loving and caring home environment so she can feel free to vent her anger and frustrations without inhibition. Once she calms down, we discuss how a stressful issue can be managed tactfully. Advita is hitting her pre-teens and it is only natural that hormonal changes are prompting frequent mood swings.” — Dr. Aditi Narula, consultant orthodontist, New Delhi Dental Centre

“It’s important to understand that expressing emotions are an integral part of our physical and mental development. My son Ahaan (class II) and I have worked out a 10-point scale where any behaviour rated beyond 5 is deemed inappropriate. Whenever that happens, I try diverting his attention till he calms down. Then we examine the cause of his ‘inappropriate’ behaviour and discuss it in detail. This formula has really worked for me!” — Gunjan Gambhir, chief manager, ICICI Bank

“ Expressing emotion is the most natural phenomenon. With my daughter Aashmi (class I), I ensure that all channels of communication are open for her to share her emotions — positive and negative. My wife and I lead by example by keeping our emotions in check in stressful situations, hoping Aashmi picks up this quality soon.” — Vaibhav Khandelwal, MD and CEO, Selective Global Search Pvt. Ltd.