Harry Potter and The Cursed Child has the world going crazy with the release of its play. The plot focuses on renowned wizard Harry Potter’s son, Albus Severus Potter and the pressure he faces to follow his family’s legacy.

 

When I was told that I would be writing this blog, I pretended to be calm, but on the inside, I was losing my cool big time!

Many Indian kids face the problems of following a family legacy just like Albus Severus. There are just so many examples! One prominent example was Sachin Tendulkar’s son, Arjun, who was criticised for being selected in the U-16 West Zone Side, solely on the basis of legacy.

This topic took us to Dr Anita Gautam, a Children and Women Psychiatrist, who spoke to us about the synopsis of the play and similar real-life situations.

 

Taking Albus Severus’ case, how similar is the situation of Indian children to that of Albus Severus?

This is a problem of almost every Indian household. Generally speaking, the child of a famous personality may or may not be able to succeed as much as his parent. These kids face a lot of pressure, from both parents and society. These children develop a lot of psychological problems like depression, anger and anxiety. They also tend to develop insomnia. We need to let the child grow the way he wants to and not impose our opinions or decisions on him. This will only make him feel suffocated.

 

How do children express stress?

These days, many children feel stressed. Younger kids cannot voice their feelings. Therefore, they choose to show physical symptoms like stomach aches, diarrhoea, etc. This tends to happen when they have to go to school or have to give an exam. They become aggressive. Older kids, on the other hand, go through anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation. They give up easily and feel rather inferior. They develop OCD and other psychological disorders.

How should parents deal with their children?

Kids are like rubber bands. The optimum pressure is necessary for them. But if we stretch it for too long, it will break. Going overboard will have an adverse impact on the child. Parents, who are very demanding, pressurize their children a lot. When a child cannot come up to the expectations of his parent, the parents too, develop depression and anxiety rather than being happy about how much he/she has achieved. We need to be positive to our children and appreciate their efforts. Otherwise, the children might end up finding solace in the wrong direction.

 

Please, guide parents on how to handle societal pressure regarding the family legacy and future of their children?

Parents need to understand that their child is different. They should know what their child is capable of. If the society pressurises parents, they should ignore it. They must not impose their legacy or dreams on their children. Instead, they should let them follow their dreams.

Advise parents on communication with their children?

Every child strives to develop his personality. Parents need to try to communicate with their children at all times. They should be good listeners and understand what the child goes through. Try to talk to your child about his problems. The child won’t open up at first, but slowly, he will recognize a friend in his parent. Try doing his favourite activity with him and let him open up during that time. Spend as much time as you can with him. If parents believe in their children, eventually they will grow confident individuals. In a case, where the child is capable of carrying forward a legacy but doesn’t want to, he should tell his parents where his interest lies..

 

How can children deal with decision making and society?

When it comes to decision making, no decision is right or wrong. It depends on how you take it. The children should work on proving that they were right in making that particular decision. Parents must inculcate the practice of decision-making in their children from a young age. Let him decide what he wants to do with his future rather than forcing him to choose something he does not want to do. Don’t pressurize the child to do something he is not capable of.

We ended up talking to Dr. Anita longer than we should have. Our conversation was taking a new turn now and then. So little time, yet so much to talk about. *Sigh* Well, let’s leave that for another blog.

P.S. Please send me tickets for The Cursed Child Play and plane tickets as well. Thanks. Bye, Felicia!