It was another lazy sunday afternoon. I was cozily curled up in my bed with a Sidney Sheldon in my hand. A loud commotion shook me up and I got up to check what had happened. I found my 6 year old cousin in tears and his 10 year old brother with an equally dejected look on his face. When I enquired what was wrong ,the younger one,with a fresh surge of tears said ," Dad has taken the iPad." Apparently the two had been fighting for the iPad's control when their dad unable to put up with their ruckus had taken it away. It was quite a scene watching them indulge in a familiar blame game as to who was responsible for the disaster that had happened!
As I walked back to my room , memories of my own childhood made me nostalgic. All that the kids of the 1990's had for entertainment ,were just a pack of crayons,coloring books and comics. Fun, in simple terms was just indulging in outdoor games. If rains played spoilsport,one would always have the evergreen indoor games such as chess, ludo. etc.A kid's room was considered incomplete without these.I guess we will be the last generation to remember games like lock- and -key or hide and seek.
I wonder why these or any outdoor game for that matter, seem boring to the children of this generation. The kids of today have a completely different perspective of fun or enjoyment. iPods and iPads find top priority in their agenda of fun. While these gadgets seem to have revolutionized our lives, they also take the blame for a whole generation of kids losing their childhood.
Prolonged exposure to gadgets not only affects a child's physical being but also impacts him psychologically.An iPad can never teach him team spirit or bonding,something which the 90's kids inculcated automatically in their childhood.
The recent cases of school students indulging in crimes holds testimony to the fact that we are bringing up a whole generation of children without moral values. What memories of their childhood will these kids have after growing up?
It is near impossible to bring up a child without exposing him to electronic items as they have become an indispensable part of our lives and one feels handicapped without them. But what can be done is ensuring a healthy balance in a child's life. An evening stroll in a nearby park, or a session of swimming would be much more enjoyable for a kid than playing virtual games. Focus should be on an all-round development. Parental control is a must for children spending long hours with gadgets.
We can only hold ourselves responsible if tomorrow's kids prefer a PC to a parent.Remember, a childhood once lost, never returns.
P.S: I have tucked away the iPad safely to my room after having told my cousins that it is out of service. The two have then been squabbling over who first checkmated the other in a game of chess!!.;)
As I walked back to my room , memories of my own childhood made me nostalgic. All that the kids of the 1990's had for entertainment ,were just a pack of crayons,coloring books and comics. Fun, in simple terms was just indulging in outdoor games. If rains played spoilsport,one would always have the evergreen indoor games such as chess, ludo. etc.A kid's room was considered incomplete without these.I guess we will be the last generation to remember games like lock- and -key or hide and seek.
I wonder why these or any outdoor game for that matter, seem boring to the children of this generation. The kids of today have a completely different perspective of fun or enjoyment. iPods and iPads find top priority in their agenda of fun. While these gadgets seem to have revolutionized our lives, they also take the blame for a whole generation of kids losing their childhood.
Prolonged exposure to gadgets not only affects a child's physical being but also impacts him psychologically.An iPad can never teach him team spirit or bonding,something which the 90's kids inculcated automatically in their childhood.
The recent cases of school students indulging in crimes holds testimony to the fact that we are bringing up a whole generation of children without moral values. What memories of their childhood will these kids have after growing up?
It is near impossible to bring up a child without exposing him to electronic items as they have become an indispensable part of our lives and one feels handicapped without them. But what can be done is ensuring a healthy balance in a child's life. An evening stroll in a nearby park, or a session of swimming would be much more enjoyable for a kid than playing virtual games. Focus should be on an all-round development. Parental control is a must for children spending long hours with gadgets.
We can only hold ourselves responsible if tomorrow's kids prefer a PC to a parent.Remember, a childhood once lost, never returns.
