Today I heard a news about a teenager from Bengal, Shinjini Sengupta. She had participated in  a Dance Reality show. The judges criticised her for her performance. She could not take criticism in her stride, went in to severe depression and suffered from paralytic attack. She cannot move her hand or body nor can she speak now.

This news set me thinking. Who's to be blamed for Shinjini's condition? It's not only Shinjini. Most of the teenagers can't face defeats and criticism. What can be the reason? Most of the times, parents are at fault. They put pressure on their wards to excel. Remember, the focus is on excelling, being better than the rest. So, instead of saying "Do Your Best", parents often say "Be the Best." Moreover, kids are not made to face tough life ahead. Parents are over-protective. Children cannot be scolded for their misdeeds because one never knows how they will react. And when such children grow up, they become frustrated adults. They do not have the courage to face life's problems. Failure scares them terribly.

It's high time that parents realise that it's a big, bad world out there and children must be made to realise this aspect too. And the sooner they realise it, the better it is for them. I do not know whether Shinjini's parents had told her before appearing on the show that whether she won or lost, it didn't matter to them. Of course, the judges too may have been at fault. I have noticed that the judges judge a 16 year old participant and a 25 year old participant in the same way. This is not good. There should be different criteria for both the groups. And I always wonder whether those who judge the participants have themselves been faultless. Instead of saying that "Your performance was bad", it can always be stated that "You can do better." I have always said to my students, "Okay, you did not do well today but next time remember to do it like this." When you put things in a positive manner the response will also turn out to be positive.