The words smart or dull I am using here in the sense of our adaptation to the technology, or the modern means of communication for that matter. The elderly, or most of them, may find it hard to understand when terminologies like Messenger, Viber, Skype, YouTube and Google, WhatsApp among others are used. But for children of today, these are everyday terminologies. Mobile phones, laptops and iPads are today’s children’s playing gadgets and they grow up with them.The picture and memory of our childhood is not so

vivid and it is very hard to recall what our character was and what we actually used to do during our early days. However, it can be surely said that we are little backward and dull than our offspring of this 21st century.

While these gadgets are extremely helpful, they might also spoil them. Hence we need to be careful and explain to our children the difference between use and abuse of a gadget and its pros and cons.

Recently I was surprised to learn that my small nephew had prepared sandwich. He said he followed the recipe on YouTube. But what is even more interesting is he never listened to his sister when she taught him the proper way of brushing teeth. This made me realise the power of the technology. So what can be easily said is: these gadgets and technology can be a good mode of instructions. But in the meantime, these gadgets are so addictive that children might get hooked to them all the time. This may destroy their creativity as well as make them lose precious time that they should be using for other stuff, including studies.

So, today’s children must be allowed to use the gadgets — but under close supervision of parents. It will be wrong to keep children off the gadgets, as without them they may lag behind.

All of us want our children to be smart and intelligent, but gadgets and technologies are only a means. Their over-use is harmful to their studies. Actually, today we are living in a Catch-22 situation.

Not allowing children to use the gadgets and technology may hinder the possibility of them becoming the global citizens while abuse of technology might ruin their present and future. There is no other way than being prudent and careful while letting children use the technology. Children must be made aware of the pros and cons of the technology that we have today and taught to properly use them.