We were delighted to welcome postgraduate students in Child Development from St Theresa's College, Ernakulum at the department of Developmental Paediatrics, yesterday.
When I met with them briefly, what greeted me was a group who communicated and engaged in the issues of child development with enthusiasm. My question to them was whether they would be a gift to honour children who wait for someone to enlarge their opportunities!
There are many children who live disadvantaged! We live in a time and season when the third 'parent' is the media. Most parents inadvertently lead their children to the 'third parent', the media, when both parents are occupied. I have come across parents who felt comfortable for the infants and toddlers to watch cartoons and other entertainment in the TV or mobile phone for several hours each day. I heard a story of a family keeping the TV on for the child 'to be out of their way' when parents have something to do.
The 'third parenting' partner of infants and toddlers is causing an enormous damage as the language, communication and social skills get displaced by a preoccupied state of being self absorbed in entertainment. This distances infants and toddlers from an interface with social, reciprocal, communicative and playful environment.
Let me wish the students from St Theresa's college a heart for children who live reduced lives, the consequences of which would be reflected in the social and communication behaviour of pre-school children.
Restore the childhood to children, which to me is a slogan worth pursuing!
Are we loosing the primacy for children in our homes! Are parents loosing their parental instinct and live their lives preoccupied with pursuit of their career! Is this generation of parents forced to leave their children to 'surrogate parenting'! I feel disturbed by these questions.
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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