A day after three minors were reunited with their parents after threatening to enter into a suicide pact, a student was found loitering alone after bunking his classes. He was united with his parents after some citizens alerted the police passing by in a van. Sohail Khan (13, name changed), a resident of Vakola, said he went there to enjoy the breeze with a classmate. However, he had no answers about his classmate.

loitering: The Marine Drive

The only child of Mehboob and Reshma (name changed), a reputed business couple, had even stopped boarding the school bus for the last two days. The parents were about to file a missing complaint when a police constable visited their house.

"I feared for the worst when I saw the policeman at the door, but was relieved when he said Sohail was safe," said Reshma. The parents have now sought an appointment with a counsellor.

Reshma says she has been observing some sudden behavioural changes in Sohail. She states that her son is an average student, but is notu00a0 keen on attending school. He prefers to watch cartoon network and play instead. A police officer who is investigating the suicide pact case said, "These children are from well-to-do families and get the best comforts in life, but deep within themselves, they feel dejected and hence take such a drastic step."

Voices

"There is a lot of study pressure from the school and parents on every child. Off late, even the attitude of the teachers towards student is apathetic instead of being empathetic. Students are finding it difficult to cope up with the rise in stress levels."
- Arundhati Chavan, PTA,
United Forum President

Kids in the city are stressed because of expectations from schools, parents and themselves. To counter the stress, there should be stress-busters like games or recreational activities. Kids are also exposed to the world of adults and start behaving like mini adults.
Playing is a good way to release pent up aggression and frustration.
- Anjali Chabria, psychiatrist

Runaway Prevention
Let's face it - stress is a part of life, even for kids - but being able to deal with problems with confidence, hope, and practical solutions makes kids less likely to run away.

To build your problem-solving skills, try to:
Know your emotions. Try to understand what you are feeling inside and use words to describe it.
Express your emotions. Don't be afraid to tell those close to you how you're feeling and why. Use words, not actions. This is especially true for anger. Anger is one of the hardest emotions to manage because it's so strong - but everyone needs to learn how to express angry feelings without violence.
Know how to calm yourself down after you're upset. Maybe you need to run around outside, listen to music, draw, or write poetry. Do whatever safe things you need to do to feel better.
When you have a problem, try to come up with a list of solutions. Get someone else to help you if you can't think of at least three things to do. For each possible solution, ask yourself "If I do this, what would happen next?"
Get some help from trusted adults - someone like a parent, close relative, teacher, or neighbor. Know who you can count on to support and help you.
Source- www.kidshealth.org