Do marks really matter in Life?

It pains to see children of these days stressed over their exam results more than anything else in the world. The number of suicides before and after the day of results is becoming an alarming issue.  Are today’s kids programmed to be mark scoring machines? Don’t they really have something creative or unique in them to be passionate about? Let’s not confine  and limit our next generation inside classrooms alone. We need to let them explore and enjoy nature’s beauty, work out Do-It-Yourself crafts, play a game or listen to music.

Right from the time when a baby scribbles on a paper, draws unknown creatures on the wall or plays the craziest games with toys- there lies enormous talent hidden in that kid waiting to be tapped. Parents admire and feel proud of every single action. Gradually this leads to a mountain of expectations that may often burden the little soul. “I wasn’t able to do this as a child, I want my son/daughter to do that” attitude passes down and kills the spirits of several youngsters.

Marks matter to an extent but it is possible to live happily even if you score a minimum. Imagine what would have happened had Sachin‘s parents or A.R.Rahman‘s parents insisted on their son’s academic excellence. Compared to yester years the current generation looks super duper talented and it becomes really hard for us to tune them. Information can be sought in seconds and we are marching towards a world where manual intervention will be less heard of. Mindblowing isn’t it?

So why blame the kids or scold them for scoring low. Children perform better when they grow up in a surrounding that encourages them and offers support. Sometimes even though we realize and make effort to support, we end up comparing the child with his/her counterparts. We fail to understand how the child feels from within. Let us fill the lives of children with pleasant moods and not make them feel depressed just because their teacher said he is not worth the school or class. Shame on our education system and shame on those who patriotically say Life is nothing if you fail at school.

Many drop-outs have carved great success stories and turned a good rolemodel. Likewise there are several cases where the toppers made deadly mistakes and ruined their lives. No matter how you bring up child, make sure you let them become independent. Let them too learn from their mistakes. Your past might give them invaluable experiences but don’t let them live your dreams. Let today’s kids dream for themselves and work towards making it a reality. We only have to be their friend and share their feelings till the end.

Remember great people of our times like Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, Kamaraj, Bhagat Singh , Steve Jobs never worried about scoring a centum or better grades. But the impact they created will be remembered for a lifetime. Let the upcoming generation follow their passion. Marks does matter but that’s a minuscule portion of life itself. Just focus on creating a mark for yourselves.

Note: I’ve written this post based on my views. So if you are a teacher please don’t catch hold of me if your student doesn’t score well citing this post.  Post your views regarding this, I am eagerly looking forward to various viewpoints. Correct me if am wrong and enlighten me if you can !!