A resource which is risk prone

I am not a net surfer. I use book for my reference than internet. I have been introduced to the net at the age of forty five years. Anna values net as an an important source and resource. 

The applications of the net in education has become exponential with e-learning and on line coaching  with access to the virtual library. 

I come across many parents who use the mobile phone to entertain infants even from the fourth month, which is when, they are ready to reach out to receive objects or listen to music. With this early introduction to mobile phone to children, for listening to music or play games or access the internet, that children think of it as a toy. I am appalled the way parents normally engage children by giving them  a mobile to substitute it for a toy.

It is this habit which makes children insist on upgrading their play occupation to the computer. Once they are on the computer, they would even learn to crack the child lock by trying several pass words. This gives them a gateway to movies, internet games, and a lot of other sites not so desirable activities which internet offers. 

Children have confessed to me in confidence that their first interest is often the internet and some of them spend almost 10 hours on the week ends unnoticed by parents. They access many sites including  sites which can affect their morals and behaviour.

In one informal survey of 150 pre-school children, I came across a revealing information. They had many CDs and DVDs, but only 20 percent had children's story books in picture sequences. The out door games were pursued only by 32 percent. The number who were into any form of art appreciation was just a few. I found this alarming. 

I wish parents would protect our children lest they go the japanese way!  The addiction of children to internet by the time they reach their tenth birthday is bordering to 40 percent, which is defined as 'a habit which denied would make them nervous, anxious and emotionally devastated making it almost impossible to stay occupied in anything else'. 

Let me suggest that at least till ten years of age, access to any form of internet access has to be restricted to minutes than hours, that too under direct supervision by parents or older responsible siblings. After they reach ten years, they can access only by a contract, between them and the  parents, on the amount of  time they would access it, the sites they would visit and some mutually agreed upon absolutes. 

Childhood would need variety of activities and explorations to enhance and enlarge their potential. The internet can be an obstacle than an advantage in early childhood,

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)