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PARENTS have been called on to help balance the excessive demands placed on today's youngsters with loads of love, attention and support to help them excel, perform and succeed.
Stress management courses have also been held at schools across the kingdom to help children to keep on top of their studies, homework, examinations and teenage angst.
Speaking after conducting a workshop at the New Millennium School-DPS Bahrain, Ansuya Sunku, director at Bahrain Meditation Centre, said: "I thought stress was for people who were older and had responsibilities and worries.
"It was surprising for me to hear children of higher secondary classes speaking about depression and the stress that they faced in their daily lives.
"They say homework is a stress, parents and teachers are a stress, exams are a stress and attribute other causes to peer pressure, competition and high demands from teachers and parents.
"Personal performance among children or adults is possible without getting harassed. It is a myth that stress is good for performance. It releases adrenaline and can only work like a temporary boost ... it is just like drinking coffee to stay awake. But it is not natural and will only give you a temporary push that could have detrimental affects on your health in the long run."
Parents can also contribute to stress suffered by children by passing on their own anxieties, often in a subconscious manner. She added: "Most people do not realise what stress is. It all begins with thinking of your problems over and over again. This leads to negative thinking and contributes to a kind of fear, such as 'my teacher will scold me if I don't pass or get top marks', or, 'my parents will not be happy'.
"This leads to negative thoughts that often connect to past failures and result in approaching important events with fear."
The best solution Ansuya suggests is to make a habit of looking at the positive sides of every picture. Success is not only based on what you achieve but also in an ability to accept failure and to learn from it.
Taking the example of two parents who responded to their sons hanging precariously from a branch of a tall tree, she said: "While one parent warned his son by saying - 'don't fall', the other encouraged his child by saying - 'hold the branch tightly'.
"The only way to work around stress is to attack your thinking. Attitude matters and can affect performance. While a supportive attitude can increase performance, pressure can only take it in the opposite direction.
"Parents and teachers should have an attitude to accept the child as the child is. They should try and relieve them of stress as much as possible. Sometimes you may not speak but your body language can send a lot of silent signals.
"Performance cannot be forced. Everyone has a certain amount of intelligence ... we should know how to tap it. Discipline has to be balanced with an equal amount of love.
"Most importantly student life should be the best time of one's life. It should be enjoyed and provide brilliant memories."
For information on meditation and self development workshops, check the centre's website www.bahrainmeditationcentre.com
