TOPICS: Technology and parenting

I have been a secondary teacher in a small and serene area in Syangja.

Recently I attended a student-parent meeting that has left me with different queries and facts about the changing scenario in the lives of students and parents as well.

The parents were somewhat skeptical about the future of their siblings.

The most frequently discussed topic was the problems due to technology. The parents mostly complained that their children glued themselves to the screens of their smart phones, laptops and other electronic devices, giving little time to studying.

Sometimes I ponder on how those ebullient children who used to enjoy singing and playing in a football pitch have turned themselves into lackadaisical creatures.

Those children are now seen with electronic devices playing imaginary games on the side of the pitch. These children do not want to be socialized and only like to speak with their friends in their so called “cool” languages full of shortcuts and slangs.

This situation alarms me and I kept on thinking how society will be in the coming years if this trend continues. So I personally met some of the parents and tried to dig the reasons hidden.

I found three kinds of parents. One type are the illiterate who take help from their children to use the electronic devices, and the children get addicted.

The second types are the parents who brought cell phones and all to their children to show that their children are born with a silver spoon on their mouth.

Instead of being worried about the consequences they feel proud that their children have become ‘modern’.

And the third kind are the ones whose children either compel them to buy these appliances or spend most of their times in their friend’s home to access these devices. And ultimately all three types of parents are the sufferers.

I am not against the use of technology. Everything has certain rules and regulations. Students can learn a lot from these gadgets if used for a right purpose. Anyone can fake their age and open youtube channels and facebook account that is meant for people above 18 years of age.

To get a sim card we need citizenship here in Nepal but why are so many young children seen using them? Is this not high time to develop different mechanisms to deal with this situation?