DEALING with children these days has become quite difficult since they come up with all sorts of weird and awkward questions, rendering one speechless. For a minute, one is confused and racks one’s brains for an appropriate answer.

Needless to say, the credit goes to the cable system in which the myriad channels show all sorts of programmes. The young impressionable minds, unaware of what is good or bad for them, having the liberty to watch whatever comes on TV, get greatly influenced by whatever they watch.

Young children are easier to tackle as they easily believe in whatever you explain to them and are docile, but children over 10 years of age believe in what they see, get influenced by it and even follow it. They get to know things earlier than the appropriate age, and this premature knowledge, coupled with inexperienced minds and lack of worldly wisdom, results in their behaving immaturely.

It is analogous to giving a sophisticated gadget to a child who is not equipped with adequate knowledge to be able to handle it appropriately. Not only will he damage the gadget, he will get harmed by it too. Parents realise the gravity of the matter only when children do things like running away from home, attempting suicide and taking other serious measures.

Childhood should be carefree and full of fun, with worries only about school homework and examinations. But now teenagers behave like experienced and mature adults and act as if they know everything that they are supposed to know to survive in this society.

Parents should realise the gravity of this situation and keep a regular check on what their child’s TV watching. Before it is too late, parents of young children should make sure that their children watch only appropriate and innocuous channels.

AREEJ FATIMA
Karachi
Source: Dawn
Date:4/1/2010