TODAY’s children are growing up in an environment where success seems to have become the only option. In countries like Pakistan, the pressure intensifies even more. Every test, every result, every judgment from society seems to shape their sense of worth, pushing the children into a never-ending race where failure is feared, not welcomed or taken as a part of life.

We tend to condition them to pursue excellence without error, though we seldom equip them with the ability to handle failure, rejection and loss.

It is time we changed that narrative and started teaching our children to accept defeat, to take it as an opportunity for growth and not as a sign of weakness.

Success is important, but resilience is just as critical. The challenges of life cannot always be conquered, and expecting children to emerge victorious in every endeavour puts undue mental strain on them.

Recent studies on mental health in Pakistan have shown a concerning rise in anxiety and depression among the youth, predominantly shaped by the fear of failure and societal pressure.

Encouraging our children to gracefully accept setbacks helps them build the inner strength to persevere and develop critical life skills — humility, patience and self-awareness. Our educational institutions and parenting strategies must cultivate this mindset shift.

Instead of fixating on grades, accolades and comparisons, we should reward efforts, perseverance and learning through challenges. Defeat can be a powerful teacher if we allow our children the space to reflect on their shortcomings and learn from them.

Educators, policymakers and parents in Pakistan need to adopt this philosophy. Let us not see defeat as an endpoint, but as a necessary step in building emotionally strong, capable individuals who can handle the inevitable ups and downs of life.

Muhammad Shahjahan Memon
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2024