‘This school is instrumental in my daughter’s growth’

His daughter has been studying at Apeejay School, Kharghar, since Class II. Today, she is in Class XII, and her journey of 10-11 years has been beautiful. When the family shifted from Hyderabad, their child was an introvert and shy. But when she joined this school, the teachers encouraged her to participate in extracurricular activities. This gave their daughter confidence and contributed to her overall holistic growth. Meet Siddharth Kulkarni, whose daughter, Myra, is pursuing the Commerce stream.

In an impromptu interview, the father talks about how the school has supported his daughter all through.

How has the school supported her in sports and other activities?

I think the school has supported her quite well. She started playing handball when she was in Class IV. She played at the state and district levels, and they won many matches. The school has been quite instrumental in her development and growth during these years.

How are you helping her deal with the stress and pressure of Class XII?

We had thought of starting her CA foundation this year itself. But then we realised that it would be too much on her plate. So we decided to take a break and let her focus only on her Class XII Board exams for now. We want her to take one thing at a time. First, she should finish Class XII, and everything else comes later. That way, we are giving her a lot of space and not pressurising her at all.

How important is it for parents to give children space while also guiding them?

It is very important, especially nowadays, because of social networking and the new era that children are growing up in. Kids can easily be influenced or deceived by any post or content. So, as parents, it is important to keep an eye on them. At the same time, we need to do it in a way that feels non-punitive. There has to be a balance between monitoring them and giving them space.

What has Myra learnt through sports and school life?

She has learnt team spirit. She has learnt how to face failure and how to cope with it. Because of sports, and also through her studies, I have seen her gradually doing so well. Facing failures has helped her. In Class X, her pre-Board marks were not very high. But she knew how to bounce back from that situation. Eventually, she did fairly well and scored 93 per cent. The school has been an ignition point for her.

How have the teachers contributed to her growth?

I am sure the teachers have been doing really good work. Sometimes, children come up with excuses. They may say that tuition is teaching one topic and school is teaching another, or that they do not know how to cope. If I ask her to do something, she sometimes does not listen. So I think I am letting the school do its job, and I am simply being a listener for her.

Why did you choose APJ when you shifted from Hyderabad?

In Hyderabad, our daughter was studying in a CBSE school, and we wanted to continue with that Board. I had received positive feedback about Apeejay School. Also, the school was at an approachable distance. It had a bigger ground to play on, and as a parent of a child in Class II, what more could I think of? Hence, we enrolled her here.

Have you made the right decision?

Yes, there were many moments when I felt that we had made the right decision. The teachers were supportive, and even the principals were approachable. They really helped us, gave us an audience, and listened to what we wanted to say. The teachers have also been very supportive. When my daughter needed help with Physics, teachers gave her extra lectures and their own time, which I really appreciated.