CHANNELIZING YOUR CHILD’S SEARCH FOR IDENTITY

When a child has too high or too low a self-image, there is the danger of his becoming wayward. “I can easily manage any situation, or I have my own ways of dealing with any event” is the usual reaction of an over-confident child. A child with poor self-image may try to identify with antisocial or delinquent groups for the sake of acceptance and recognition. He may associate himself with groups which enjoy experimenting with drugs or sex. It is, therefore, necessary that parents and teachers make efforts to channelize the adolescent’s new search for identity. They should encourage him at art, drama, music, debating, science clubs, sports, reading, quiz and even at social work. Anything that ill keep him busy and happy in addition to his studies should be encouraged. There is little danger of the fully occupied and occasionally supervised child turning antisocial because now he has already discovered dimensions of himself which are satisfying. Identity formation influences the life of an adolescent to a much greater extent than parents imagine.