ou have seen your child through vaccinations, teething trouble, fevers and colds.
You have tried to give your child the best as only you can.
Now, that little apple of your eye is fast growing up.
And you can't wait for him/ her to go out in the world and claim that bit of glory that has your child's name written on it.
But wait a bit.
Before all that fame and glory comes your child's schooling. That is the single largest influencing force -- outside of your family and friends -- that will shape your child.
That is also why securing his/ her admission into the right school is the most daunting task of your life.
Enter school interviews. How do you make sure your child aces the interview?
Get Ahead presents some handy tips to deal with what can be a nerve-wracking experience for most parents.
~ The Homework
If your child has been attending a play group or nursery, s/ he should be quite prepared.
1. However, should the school you are going to have stringent assessments, it might be wise to brush up on the child's knowledge outside of the regular school curriculum.
Last minute is not a good time for this -- kids rarely learn well under stress.
2. Prepare early. Meet other parents whose children study at the schools that have called you for an interview. Research the questions they faced in the parent-teacher interaction.
3. Should the school have a very strong philosophical connection (like Mother's International, Delhi, or the Rajghat Besant School of the Krishnamurti Foundation of India, Varanasi), you might want to acquaint yourself with their philosophy.
Aruna Ramchandran, whose son now studies at Arya Vidya Mandir, Mumbai, says, "Questions on nationalism, teachings of Aurobindo were all part of the questions we, as parents, had to answer when we were interviewed by the Mother's International school principal."
4. Some schools also give parents with an exhaustive questionnaire before the actual interview.
Rajita Phanindernath recalls, "I faced such an exhaustive questionnaire at one school that I felt like I was back in class XI. The questions ranged from our values to how we would react in certain situations."
A tip: It would be wise to answer these questions truthfully or have a really sharp memory of the written answers.
~ The Day Before the Interview
1. Make your child's day as enjoyable as possible. Do not curtail your child's evening stroll/ play time or cartoons.
Basically stick to your normal routine.
2. Make sure your child goes to bed early.
I hate to say this, but your child probably will have other plans! Getting psyched and hassled is not a solution to getting him/ her into bed early. It will only make him/ her more cranky and restless.
3. Should you want your child to sleep early, it might be better for your family to sleep early until s/ he sleeps.
4. If you have your own vehicle, check the fuel and tyres of your car. You don't want an unnecessary stop at the gas station making you late.
6. Plan your clothes and what you will make for breakfast.
7. Make sure you are clear about, and know, the route to the school. Factor in an additional 15 minutes to park your car, if you have your own vehicle.
8. Pack a change of clothes, a snack and a bottle of water for your child. You never know how long the interview session will take. You might also want to keep a snack ready for you to munch on after the interview is over.
~ The Day Of the Interview
1. Get up early. Do some Pranayama/ meditation to keep you balanced.
2. Pander to your child. Skipping that necessary glass of milk or having a slice of pizza for breakfast will possibly avoid a tantrum.
3. Don't express your stress by snapping at people around. Your child is bound to pick it up.
4. Leave for the interview early.
5. Once there, avoid last minute coaching. It will only make your child more nervous.
6. As the time for your child to be interviewed approaches, give him/ her a big hug and kiss. Tell your child you love him/ her.
Leave the rest to your child. Every school has a different criterion for accepting/ rejecting an application. Sometimes, it is just plain luck.
7. As you leave the school, resist the temptation to autopsy the interview.
There may be more interviews ahead of you, and an autopsy will help neither you nor your child.
8. More important: Never scold your child for not answering a question. You don't want him/ her to clam up at the next interview.
All the very best to you and your child!
Image: Rajesh Karkera
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