Table of Contents Introduction Stress in Children What are we doing to our children? Positive and Negative Stress Knowledge Overload Psychosocial Stress Tips to Deal with Psychosocial Stress Odious Comparisons Subconscious Pressurization Children and Aptitude Conclusion Author Bio Publisher Introduction Since time immemorial, our parents have been our first friends, philosophers, guides, and caretakers. They have been our support and they have been the first medium to give us knowledge and encouragement. This book is all about the role of parents in shaping your destiny, especially when they play the part of your advisor, teacher and guide. On the other hand, this encouragement can become quite claustrophobic and pushing, especially when the parents are overly ambitious. A parent with a laissez-faire attitude who does not bother to discipline our guide his or her child is at one end of the scale. Along with him is the parent who in calculates negativism in his kids. On the other end of the scale is that one track minded parent who is living his life wholly through his children, and whose main ambition is to make a Superman and a Superwoman out of his very ordinary normal little child. Naturally, this is going to cause plenty of stress in the child, because he is going to try to live up to the expectations of the parents. Many times an over demanding parent has big plans for his firstborn, especially if he is a boy. The son is either going to carry on in his father's footsteps, or he is going to be a trail Buster with his parents behind him. Let me give you one clear example of one of these overtly ambitious parents. Martina Hinges' mother wanted to make a tennis player out of her daughter from day go itself. That is why the child was named Martina, after Martina Navratilova. That child was not allowed to do any other activity which would take her away from her regular tennis practice. Today Martina Hinges has retired from match early from professional tennis because of numerous injuries. I wonder what her family life is like, with her mother, harping about the sacrifices she made in order to make her daughter a world-class level tennis player. How many sacrifices on the altar of parental ambitions are suffering quietly out there? I know about many parents, who have decided that their children are going to be outstanding All- rounders and a pride to their parents. With avid zeal, I have seen these parents driven from one academic class and extracurricular activity to another. In this process, the children are being driven around the bend, trying to keep up with their parent's expectations of them.