“Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression,”as quoted by Dr. Haim Ginott. When children begin with their formal schooling it is similar to an ex situ experience. They have been pulled out from the comforts of their family and home into a larger unfamiliar world aimed at their development. It is upon the parents, the institution and the society at large to make the child feel comfortable and good about joining school.
Eventually the child begins to encounter myriad emotions. There are many occasions when the child throws tantrums or expresses its unwillingness to go to school. He or she may even resort to wetting and soiling in school in spite of being toilet trained. It is not because the child does not want to study or is lazy, there are other psychological aspects which get manifested in such a way. As adults we are aware of the word stress and use it on a day to day basis. They also feel a stress but are unable to speak out clearly. If these problems are not addressed at the initial level, the child may grow up being aggressive or shy or a poor performer.
A proper understanding of the child and the various stress it is passing through will enable the parents to handle judiciously any behavioral disturbance which appears. Adequate explanation of various tension-causing phenomena in the daily life of the child may help his understanding of life and enable him to master the conflicts that arise. As a visual communication designer I would like to bridge the gap between the child and the parents in being aware of and understanding these concerns. I want to contribute in terms of comprehending what the child undergoes at the threshold of joining school and while attending it.
I came up with a penstand that not only serves to keep in the utlities but also informs parents about the various issues that children face while beginning school and how parents can address those issues and lead to a happy and healthy school beginning era!
Photographs taken by Manimaran
