“We often say, “Our children have everything we never had, so why are they struggling so much?” But perhaps the real question is: “Do they have what they need most from us?”
As millennial parents, we sometimes forget that our children are growing up in a world vastly different from the one we knew.
We grew up learning resilience through everyday experiences. We waited, made mistakes, faced disappointments, and learned to move forward. There was less social media, less comparison, and perhaps, most importantly, more time to simply be children.
Our children live in a world that never seems to switch off. Alongside academics and competition, they face constant comparison, social media, peer pressure, and expectations to succeed in almost every aspect of life. Sometimes, the struggles they carry are the ones we cannot see.
As parents, we need to listen a little more and judge a little less. I have consciously tried to allow my daughter to experience rejection and failure rather than protecting her from every disappointment. I have encouraged her to accept these experiences positively, learn from them, and try again. Over the years, I have seen how these experiences have helped her become more confident, resilient, and accepting of life’s ups and downs.
Our children need boundaries and discipline, but they also need empathy, encouragement, and a safe space to be themselves.
As part of the DPS Sharjah family, I truly appreciate the efforts the school has made to recognise these changing needs and focus not only on academics but also on confidence, creativity, well-being, and holistic development. Yet, this is a journey we must continue together.
We cannot give our children the childhood we had. We have to understand the childhood they have.
Our responsibility is not to remove every challenge but to ensure that, when challenges arise, our children have the resilience to face them and the reassurance that their parents and school will walk beside them.
Sherin Susan Behanan (Parent of Hazel Sarah Behanan-7B)
