Sports Vs. Gadgets

I was recently at a gathering that comprised of individuals representing every stage of life from toddlers to adults. In a moment of silent contemplation, I realized - around me, were children lost in their pseudo cyber world oblivious to one another and the adults in the gathering. No hi's, no hello's. Just the constant mechanical sound of whatever game they were engrossed in.  The only interaction between the children was when he or she wanted a chance on the machine. No board games and no sports. This is the world we live in today..

Right there, I was transported in mind to a time when we were growing up.. There was a yearning for such gatherings as we could meet with so many people and play for hours without  a curfew. There was laughter and games, fights and heart breaks, candies and frolic. And when it was all over, there were memories and friendships to last a lifetime..  

Those simple pleasures are lost on the children, of today. A piece of stone or stick that would excite us back then is now replaced by fancy plastic gadgets and devices that takes the form of a monster one minute and a bird the next. The innocent childhood and the simple pleasures of exploring the world with their little steps and beady inquisitive eyes is lost on these warriors of tomorrow, as they are armed with these mini devices that keep them glued to a seat for hours on end. The squeal and laughter of a room full of kids is replaced with the mechanical noises produced by these widgets in a room otherwise devoid of any noise.

I have increasingly seen parents worry about the consequence of these devices on the lives of their children.  But the sheer convenience of  not having to worry about their little ones (in the midst of  their own adult time) far outweigh the mild inconvenience of these devices obstructing the development of social skills in these young minds. These gadgets are thus handed out to little outstretched hands and we all rationalize, that it is the right thing to do rather than have your children run amock. No question the neurons in those little brains are multiplying by the hundreds and forming a vast network of problem solving ability. But compassion , communication, team work and social abilities are thwarted in the process. For the parents, this is a maze with no end in sight. Every mind is battling its own war of kurkshetra , only here , there is no absolute right or absolute wrong. Is this the beginning of a new generation of lone socially stunted individuals fueled by technology? Or does the solution lie in the very same technology ? Perhaps a playtime comprising of gadgets interspersed with sports is the light we are looking for at the end of the tunnel. 

A truly win-win solution for parents everywhere .