The fast paced life these days makes us all gasp for some me time and peace. This is an understandable desire that working people have. However to destroy the future generations just to have some peace, some me time, in my opinion is a crime against humanity itself.
Today it is a very common sight to see parents self hypnotize and addict their own children with mobiles or tablets in restaurants, airports, railway stations, resorts in nature and lots more. Firstly they are abusing their own children by doing so and they don't even bother if the sounds of peppa pig etc is disturbing the others who have come to enjoy a meal. If you are not ready to raise a child properly, don't just create them for the heck of it.
This nonchalant attitude of these parents is ruining the future of our species. We accept students as young as 4 years old. However in the last decade the all round development of children has greatly regressed. Many children today are having coordination issues between their hands and legs, many are already very unfit at 4. The maturity in kids of 4 years old a decade ago, is usually found in kids of 7 or 8 today. Few months back a 13 year old boy came to try a few classes, he could not even do a full squat, that is how much tightness and loss of mobility a 13 year old had. Nowadays we let 4 year olds try a few classes and then decide if they can train or should they come back after they are 6.
Though parents themselves addicting their kids to mobiles, tablets etc is the main cause for retardation of child development in the new generations but there are a few other factors adding to this too.
The schools have drastically reduced the games periods a class gets in a week. In our schooling days we had 2 games / sports periods, 1 period for music, 1 period for art and craft, plus 2 periods for any other hobby or activity like carpentry, gardening, specific sports like table tennis etc all this within every week. Now many schools have brought it down to just 1 period of games. Which also is taken over by any teacher that has to complete the portion. Last year we were conducting a 2 month self defense workshop for kids at a school. The 8th class kids were complaining that since 3 months the school replaced their weekly 1 period for games between few teachers who wanted to take extra classes. Yes education is very important. But all work and no play makes the kids dull and unhealthy. Schools need to find a way to balance this and help in the development of well balanced youth not unhealthy nerds.
Parents should also find ways to balance their childrens education with physical fitness and health. We have had 5th class children being stopped from attending class 3 times a week, 3 to 4 months before their final exams. Though it is important to be well educated but what use will that education be of, if they grow up into very unhealthy adults who keep falling ill every few days.
The other important factor again comes back to parenting. The current generations are very soft and delicate mentally, physically and emotionally. Anything and everything can trigger anxiety etc in them. Yes I agree that every generation feels the next generation is weaker or softer than them, which may be true but the difference or degree of softness in the current generations is a huge leap to even fathom. Parents and bad parenting is responsible for this. Parents are bubble wrapping their kids nowadays, giving them everything they want may it be toxic and hazardous processed snacks to expensive branded clothes and lots more. Children feel very entitled today. Children need structure, discipline and tough yet loving guidance.
When most parents today themselves are lacking structure, discipline, morals, ethics etc how will they inculcate it in their children. If a parent throws paper etc on the road, or breaks a traffic signal or is addicted to smoking, drinking etc or accepts or gives bribes, lives beyond their means or flaunts abundance instead of adopting minimalism, illtreates or cheats on their spouse and so on, then their child is most likely to follow the same.
We all need to work collectively as a species to nurture stronger, healthier, smarter future generations.
As the saying goes -
Tough times make tough men,
Tough men make good times,
Good times make weak men.
Weak men make tough times.
We as a species are heading towards some very tough and dark times unless we collectively and consciously change our ways in nurturing the current and future generations.
Train like a warrior to be a warrior!!!
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