Latest Technologies- Boon Or Bane For Kids?

Recently I saw an advertisement on television, an ad that was not literally scary but did manage to horrify me. It depicts a scene where doctors are working on a pregnant lady, but they didn’t really had to put much effort as the baby comes out of the womb himself, takes the scissors from the nurse and snips off the umbilical cord. He is then shown comfortably using and enjoying laptop and I phone all by himself.

The advertisement might have succeeded to tickle the funny bones of some but not mine for sure. I could actually relate the ad with my surroundings  that are disturbing. Although it was an extreme depiction but it definitely revealed the truth about the technology-savvy world where even a new born child remains untouched with the impact of latest hi-tech gadgets.

In a restaurant I noticed a family come for dinner. While the parents were busy deciding the menu, their 8- year son did not seem to take any interest in their affair. He preferred to enjoy his ipad game. I wonder how captivated was the kid with this gizmo that his surroundings and parents presence did not matter to him at all.

Often in the evenings I take my son to a nearby park for a stroll. There I always come across a small kid accompanied by his father. Although physically present, his father is always too busy with his phone to participate in his son's activities. Every time the boy tries hard to involve his father in his fun games but failing to do so leaves him disappointed and irritated.

I am sure many of us would have witnessed similar incidents in our daily lives. I don’t know if such experiences strike individuals at any level but it definitely disturbs me. They make me feel that technology is replacing human emotions which could have devastating impact on the younger minds.

No wonder the hi-tech gadgets and gizmos are of immense use and have made our lives so easy but how much should we allow it to affect our lives. Today little ones are fascinated with iphones and laptops  more than anything else, they know exactly how to use them for their fun. Do these tools in the little hands actually make them smart?

As a kid, toys were all we needed for recreation and siblings used to be our friends. But now with unit families (with single or two children) and in some cases both parents working, the fun of yester-years seems to have lost completely. Now children really don’t need human company, their ipads and other similar objects are their best companions.

This prevailing situation seems to scare me. What impact it’s going to have on our little ones, this question often perturbs me. They are growing with tools and instruments that can make them technically smart but definitely not inculcate in them basic qualities of human emotions, bonding and sensitivity.

No technology can ever infuse the basic human qualities. It is alarmingly dangerous scenario where we are preparing our kids for hi-tech world but failing to instill natural human qualities of love and security in them. Quality time with kids, playing, reading, eating etc does affects their minds and influences in shaping their overall personality. If today we fail to give them what they need the most(our time) and try to replace it with techs, tomorrow they will do the same. After all, this  is what we are teaching them

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Everything has its own importance, technological development  has benefitted human life in all spheres of life but we as responsible parents need to understand its limitations. Let’s make our coming generation smart by offering them all information they need but not at the stake of  basic human qualities. 

It is easier to design a full-proof machine but difficult to build a completely balanced personality.