Teen suicides are on the rise and they are related to myriad reasons. Though depression is the most common cause that leads many teenagers taking to anti-depressants and attempting suicides at the prime of their lives, there are numerous other reasons as well that lead to this hideous act, and it was just a few days back that we read about this eleven-year-old commit suicide, since she was not allowed to go for dance classes.

Absurd as it may sound, a study says the working status of the mother was significantly noticed among those children who compared life to be a burden and had suicidal ideas. Well, this struck us hard and left us thinking — how does a mother’s working status lead kids to suicide. Pondering, we talked to working moms and their kids for their take on the matter.

Finding this totally out of context, Aroma Dhawan, teacher with Govt Model High School-34 and mother of two teenage girls, says, “I don’t agree to this study at all. Working mothers are more open. They know what’s happening in the outside world and can educate their children better. They have a wide experience and they do not constrain children only to studies, but ask them to be more open and share things. Being a working mom, I know children are under tremendous pressure and we have to make their life stress-free and unlike housewives who expect a lot out of their children and grill them to get top results a working mother knows — clear concepts are more important than 90 per cent of marks.” We totally agree.

Though its not easy to tackle depression-related problems of teens and all parents know about the arduous task of parenting them children have their own take. Says Ishani Sood, a pass-out of SD College-32 who’s now pursuing a degree in Chartered Accountancy, “My mother is working and she understands my problems much better than any of my friends’ mothers who are housewives. Though they have their moms 24/7 with them, but unlike them I can share anything with her, from boyfriends to dates, to studies.”

Though psychologists have already warned that exposing youngsters to the limelight too soon and parenting pressures can have a negative effect on their childhood, leading them to depression and suicidal tendencies, talking about the ‘working mom’ theory, Asha Mahajan, an architect with the Punjab Government, says, “There are many things to consider before giving a final verdict. If you ask me we live in a city where we don’t have very long working hours and can reach home in half an hour’s time. I think this would hold true for mothers who are working late night and have no time at all for their kids. Being a working mom, I believe kids are more proud that their mothers are working these days and that makes them more independent. All-in-all, one has to understand every kid is different and one has to balance things. As parents, it’s us who put pressure on them, but what I don’t like is why don’t we talk about father’s contribution. They too have to pitch in and are equally responsible for the child. Why blame the mother alone?” That’s one big point one needs to think about.

However, bringing a ray of hope to all concerned there is this Mohali-based educational institution, Anee’s School, which has recently launched a ‘Smart Mom-Smart kid’ concept wherein mothers living in nuclear families would be trained to deal with their kids, their studies and job at the same time. Well, this one-year programme is designed for the mothers of today’s generation and aims at training mothers on skills required from being a good manager to emotional bank of your child.

jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com

Double Oscar-winner A R Rahman is looking forward to bring home his maiden Grammy award as he turns 44 on January 6.

The composer who won two Grammy nominations for his soundtrack from Slumdog Millionaire, has never been the one for raucous celebrations and ringed in his birthday with close family and friends.

From performing for US President Barack Obama to collaborating with international artistes, including Pussy Cat Dolls and Kylie Minogue to becoming the first Indian to win a Golden Globe and two Academy awards, Rahman has become one of the most sought after names in the industry.

Last year, he scored soundtracks for Bollywood films Dilli 6 and Blue along with his maiden Hollywood venture Couple's Retreat.

Hailed by Time magazine as the 'Mozart of Madras', Rahman, according to a BBC estimate, has sold over 150 million copies of his work comprising music from more than 100 soundtracks and albums across over half a dozen languages.

An alumni of London's Trinity College of Music, he was also honoured by his alma mater last year.

Rahman was born in Chennai on January 6, 1966 as S Dileep Kumar. The musical genius lost his musician father R K Sekar when he was only nine years and had to support the family. Rahman's family converted to Islam in the 1970s. Starting his career by composing ad jingles, Rahman was first noticed for the music he gave for a Bombay Dyeing commercial which became very popular. —PTI 

Bollywood's latest sensation Sonam Kapoor has ushered in the new year with style by gracing the cover of Vogue magazine's latest edition in a Roberto Cavalli's creation.

The Masakalli girl will be seen donning Cavalli's designs and talking about her transition from flab to fab in the magazine.

"The unique thing about the collection this time is that there are no prints. Generally he (Cavalli) has lots of prints especially animal prints but there aren't any this time and I love it. It is really beautiful. It is goth and it is really street and sexy," Sonam said.

Cavalli, who was equally impressed by Sonam's spirit, said, "She is so lovely. She is magic and she is perfect for Cavalli as she is so young and dynamic." The Dilli 6 actor also gave an insight to her luxury which is the theme for the magazine's edition.

"My luxury is being at home and eating peshawari food.

Also having someone who loves you is a great luxury," Sonam said.

Fashion Director for the magazine, Anaita Shroff Adajania, said, "Sonam is some one who understands fashion quite well. She has a kind of style which is very unique to Indian sensibilities." "I love being boho, goth, street, chic but the best is being Indian. I think I love my Indian clothes the most," Sonam said. — PTI

After Karan Johar, Priyanka Chopra and Preity Zinta, now Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has joined social networking site Twitter.

"Being extremely shy, I never thought I would be here (on Twitter). But my friend Karan Johar insisted that I should learn to share my life," Shah Rukh posted on his Twitter page.

"Thanks everyone, this is really sweet...didn't expect such a warm welcome. Love to you all," he added.

The superstar was hardly seen on big screen in 2009 except in Billu, and explaining the reason behind his absence, he wrote: "Injury has kept me away from making more films. Will work my back off to be around more... the shoulder feels strong and so do I."

In February last year, Shah Rukh underwent an arthroscopic surgery for acute pain in his left shoulder at the Breach Candy hospital in south Mumbai.

He is now gearing up for the release of his much-talked about film My Name Is Khan, which also stars Kajol.

Releasing Feburary 12, the film's story revolves around Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh) who suffers from Asperger syndrome, a form of autism. Rizwan falls in love with a single mother Mandira (Kajol) who lives in San Francisco. Rizwan is detained by authorities at Los Angeles International Airport, mistaking his disability for "suspicious" behaviour.

Soha Ali Khan shared the screen space with veteran Sharmila Tagore for the first time in Life Goes On. But the actor insists that facing the camera with her mother was a daunting task because she is a perfectionist.

Soha, who plays Sharmila's daughter in the Sangeeta Datta's crossover film says that she had a scary experience working with her mother.

"My mother is a perfectionist, be it in terms of performance or the clothes I wear. It was a terrifying experience working with her since she knows me inside out," Soha said on the sidelines of the Pravasi Film Festival.

The 31-year-old actor has been acting in Bollywood as well as regional films ever since her debut in 2004, but this was the first time that the audience saw her and Sharmila in the same frame.

"This film is very personal to me. People have been approaching with scripts to cast me and amma together, but this was one film I wanted to do desperately. I am glad I got a chance to work in this film which alongside her," said Soha, who considers Sharmila as her icon.

In Life Goes On Sharmila plays a Bengali wife and mother living in the UK. Soha plays her youngest daughter in the film, which also stars veteran actors Girish Karnad and Om Puri.

Although she has worked in two Bengali films and is in talks to star in a third, Soha cannot speak the language as fluently as her mother, who hails from the state.

"I am a disgrace to my maternal side as I cannot speak Bengali, but I am working on it," she said. — PTI 

Neha Dhupia, who had once famously proclaimed that only sex and Shah Rukh Khan sells in Bollywood, is in awe of the 'King Khan' and wants to do a romantic film with him.

"Strangely, I haven't done a romantic film yet and I am looking forward to do one with Shahrukh Khan. I would love to act with him and I won't mind even if it is not a romantic film but I want to work with SRK," Dhupia said in an interview.

The 29-year-old actor, who is not happy at being labelled as 'sexy', plays a seductress in her latest outing Raat Gayi Baat Gayi, a film about three married couples and a one night stand. Neha portrays the character of an aspiring actress Sophia, a femme fatale.

Directed by Saurabh Shukla, the film also stars Rajat Kapoor, Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shorey.

"I am still living upto my image and reputation of being sexy and mysterious and handling a bold subject in the film.

But at the same time I am part of a script, which is very interesting. I am doing things differently and I hope that the audience sees a fresher, newer and better Neha Dhupia," she said.

But the actor believes that her sexy image backfires as people don't pay attention to her performance. —PTI

Tiger Woods’ fall from grace in the wake of his ‘linkup’ with as many as 15 alleged mistresses has send the rumour mills in overdrive with practically everyone busy predicting the couple’s future. Reports claim that philandering golf superstar’s wife Elin Nordegren may stay in marriage for the sake of the couple’s two children aged two and eight months.

Herself a child of divorce, this Swedish model really believes in the importance of parents staying together, claims a friend. This story follows other reports about Woods’ offer of a huge financial inducement, said to be as high as $80 million, if his wife agrees to stay married to him for several more years in a bid to rehabilitate his tainted image. This very fiasco fuels the debate on the age-old issue of infidelity. Hollywood hottie Angelina Jolie says fidelity is not absolutely essential for a relationship. Jolie is raising six kids with Brad Pitt. Our tinsel town has its own share of alleged linkups. But if you thought the malady inflicts only high and mighty think again.

In a survey of a popular magazine recently, around 41 per cent of Indian married men admitted of having strayed. The corresponding figure for the fairer sex was 8 per cent. Ludhiana topped the list with 47 per cent respondents in the city confessed to have committed adultery, while Delhi stood second at 39 per cent.

“Jo pakra gaya vo hi chor hai (the one who is caught is branded a fallen one),” says Neepa Arora, a homemaker from Sector 33. Yet marriages survive. Neepa offers the explanation: Faith is the most significant aspect in a relationship. But one act of digression cannot become a reason to nullify almost a lifetime’s emotional investment. “It’s very normal to have friends from opposite sexes whether one is married or not today. No one deliberately puts a relationship to risk but then we all are humans. If once a while someone strays I guess its ok to forgive for the sake of all the rest that a relationship offers,” she adds.

“Today’s lifestyle offers many options and opportunities to stray in a marriage,” says Ranjay Vardhan, a city-based sociologist. “Societal and family pressure makes a ground for the couple to stay together.” And a marriage rests on a couple of other factors than just being loyal, he offers. “A marriage provides physical, emotional as well as financial security. And the emotional bond that a couple forms is too difficult to break from one act of betrayal,” he says. “For women the consideration for children becomes another hurdle before calling it quits,” says Vardhan.

“Love and trust are the foundations of a relationship,” feels Amanjot Kaur, an engineering student. “In case of breach of trust if one is sure that the person is coming back for the sake of relationship and is going to be faithful for the rest of the life one can let go,” she says. “But societal pressure should not be the reason to make the couple stick. Only the couples’ willingness to be together be the reason to give marriage another try.”

mona@tribunemail.com 

We are always told that it's rude to point while talking, but a new study has a different take on the old manner- researchers have claimed that speech and gesture actually make up for good communication. Psychological scientist Spencer Kelly from Colgate University, along with Asli Ozyurek and Eric Maris from Radboud University Nijmegen, (The Netherlands) were interested in the interaction between speech and gesturing and how important this relationship is for language.

In the study, researchers made the volunteers watch brief videos of common actions (e.g., someone chopping vegetables, washing dishes) followed by a one-second video of a spoken word and a gesture.

In some of the trials (congruent trials), the speech and gestures were related (e.g., "chop," chopping gesture), while during other trials (incongruent trials), what was said did not match the gesture (e.g., "chop," twisting gesture).

The volunteers had to indicate whether the speech and gesture were related to the initial video they watched.

The results revealed that the volunteers performed better during congruent trials than incongruent trials - they were faster and more accurate when the gesture matched the spoken word.

In addition, these results were replicated when the volunteers were told to pay attention only to the spoken word and not the gesture.

Overall, the findings suggest that when gesture and speech convey the same information, they are easier to understand than when they convey different information.

Besides, the results indicate that gesture and speech form an integrated system that helps us in language comprehension.

"These results have implications for everyday communicative situations, such as in educational contexts (both teachers and students), persuasive messages (political speeches, advertisements), and situations of urgency (first aid, cock pit conversations)," noted the researchers.

They suggested that the best way for speakers to get their message across is to "coordinate what they say with their words with what they do with their hands." In other words, "if you really want to make your point clear and readily understood, let your words and hands do the talking," concluded the authors.

Children who learn to read at age seven may be as good as children who learn to read at five, an expert claims. Sebastian Suggate conducted one international and two New Zealand studies, as part of the programme.After comparing children from Rudolf Steiner schools, who start learning to read from age seven, and children in state-run schools, who started at five, he found that the later learners easily caught up till the time they were 11 or out of primary school."One theory for the finding that an earlier beginning does not lead to a later advantage is that the most important early factors for later reading achievement, for most children, are language and learning experiences that are gained without formal reading instruction,” he said.

"Because later starters at reading are still learning through play, language, and interactions with adults, their long-term learning is not disadvantaged. These activities prepare the soil well for later development of reading." He concluded: "This research emphasises the importance of early language and learning, while de-emphasising the importance of early reading." — ANI