WHEN PARENTS DECIDE WE STRUGGLE

Choosing A/L subjects should be an exciting step toward our future.

- Senina Weerasinghe

But for many of us, it becomes a stressful time filled with arguments, pressure, and fear. Some parents believe they know what's best for us often pushing us into subjects like Science or Commerce, even when we're more interested in Arts or languages.

A Silent Struggle in Many Homes

The house was peaceful. Nadeesha's Amma was in the kitchen, humming as she prepared dinner, while Thaththa sat on the porch, his glasses perched on his nose as he read the newspaper. Nadeesha had just walked in with her O/L results ,8 As. For a moment, she felt a rush of pride.

Then, as if reading her mind, Thaththa spoke without looking up. "Commerce, that's the best choice for you. You'll be a banker one day. That's a secure future."

Nadeesha froze, feeling the words sink in. She had always imagined herself studying literature, even dreaming of writing a novel one day. But in that moment, she said nothing. She just smiled, as she always did.

Across town, Dinuli's situation mirrored Nadeesha's. After getting top marks in her O/Ls, she told her parents she wanted to pursue Art. Her mother's response was instant: "Arts doesn't pay. Go for Science."

And then there was Janith, a quiet boy in their class. He loved tinkering with computers and dreamed of becoming a software engineer. But when the time came, his father was firm: "You'll study Maths. Engineering is the way to go.

None of them argued. None of them raised their voices. In homes like theirs, dreams were often replaced with the "right" choices. Choices that seemed safe, not what they truly wanted.

In many Sri Lankan households, this is the reality: In many Sri Lankan households, A/L subject selection isn't really a choice it's a decision made at the dinner table, usually by parents or even an older sibling. "Commerce is better, there's a future in it. These are the common lines we hear, often said with love but without truly listening to what we want.