India, March 23 -- It's that time of the year when children across the country are taking their board exams, and life seems to have come to a standstill for everyone around them. Parents are juggling work commitments to fit the exam schedule. Those who can manage it are taking time off. Vacations, celebrations, and similar distractions are on hold. In India, board exams are a rite of passage-not just for the children, but for their families as well. Every family has its own board exam lore. My father still chuckles over a moment from more than four decades ago, when he came to pick me up after my Class 10 math exam. I walked out flying, having slain my bete noire reasonably well, but burst into tears the moment I saw my classmates crying. Taken aback, my father asked, "Why are you crying?" "I don't know," I wailed. "They're all crying, so I must have messed up too!" Years later, my own kids spent their childhood being admonished with dohas (couplets). They would look at me askance when their tardiness was met with Kabir's: Kaal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so ab/ Pal mein pralaya hoyegi, bahuri karoge kab (Do tomorrow's work today, and today's work now. If the moment is lost or catastrophe occurs, when will you do the work?)" That wasn't original to me; it was my mother's legacy. She had spent a month before my own boards meticulously explaining dohas, their bhavarth (meaning), and unpacking the intricacies of Hindi grammar. The exams went by and life moved on, but Hindi became a part of my system. Today, I whip it out like a magic sword to handle emergency gridlocks with my own kids. Right now, there must be many households where fathers are waxing eloquent about the virtues of waking up early. They likely reminisce about being despatched to the terrace at dawn to study away from the household hustle. Meanwhile, their night-owl children are busy rolling their eyes at this ancient wisdom. Then there are the mothers who want nothing more than for their children to guzzle milk, badam (almonds), and nutrition-packed laddoos to tackle the stress. Instead, their kids are surviving on caffeine, burgers, and midnight pizzas as they pull all-nighters. It's a tough time for everyone, and much like parenting, it doesn't get easier. You remember your own anxiety-filled exam days. You remember the boards of your eldest, when everything was a terrifying first. Then you remember the saga of your younger one, where you walked in like a seasoned veteran, only to realise the rules of the game had changed in five short years! The best bet is to enjoy this bumpy, off-roading trip. You might strike up amazing, lifelong friendships with fellow parents-the ones who helped you find the best tutors, the ones who carpooled, and the ones who steadied your nerves when things became overwhelming. Take your kids for long drives or a stroll in the park. Sit in the sun with all your revision paraphernalia until you are delightfully tanned. Have ice-cream and cheat meals. Take deep breaths, and keep a tight rein on your temper and your tone. In short, do everything humanly possible to make the board exams just one more checkbox to be ticked off, and not a make-or-break event for your child's life, or yours. This too shall pass. You will be left with fond memories, fresh additions to your family's board exam lore, and stress-management skills that will last a lifetime....