WEW & IYG: Next generation speaks, life beyond academics;

--A parent’s perspective of the event

The event started with the panelists and participants introducing themselves and their favorite ice cream. I must say that ‘Cookies and cream’ seemed to be a universally enjoyed flavor. Thepanelists included students who were seniors and on their way to college (Karisma and Kiara), with some juniors (Ninad, Trishna) and rising juniors (Aashi, Dhruv). The event was moderated by a fellow next-gen Trishna Nikte. She enquired about the daily life of a high schooler, and everyone chimed in on their schedule. It was very gratifying to hear how all kids had a good mix of academics and extra-curricular activities. Based on their responses, the panelists then delved into how they manage their routines. As a parent listening to these students speak, instilled a sense of confidence as to how mature the next-gen students are. They shared their successes and trepidations about academic life and beyond. The mantra across the panel was similar, find your own path of success. The discussion got more interesting when the panel interacted with the audience. Questions ranged from how to manage time as a teen, college applications and most importantly how to manage parents! One of the big points of conversation was whether  parents are overbearing and intrusive in the teenager’s lives. The panel also reiterated that spending time with family was a great stress buster. The panel also highlighted that through open lines of communication, they were able to reduce the worries of the parents. To diversify the parent-teen conversation, the audience included some middle schoolers, and they brought out their thoughts and ideas on how they would approach high school. The discussion ended with a dance performance from the Darshana Jani group and well-deserved ice cream!

So, if you ask me what I learnt, I will say “Trust, Patience and Belief in your teenager is the path of healthy aging!”