It’s just me... and my PlayStation

 

 

 

 

 

I got my first PlayStation as a gift when I was four. Then I got a Gameboy, which is really cool.

 

My favourite game is Crash Bandicoot which is about a stupid bandicoot. I like car racing too, it is a lot of fun. I download all my games from the Internet and that too without my mom's help.

 

The Internet is very easy to use and a lot of fun. I have been working on the net since I was five years old.   

 

Yash Indap, 8

 

 

I like playing games on the computer. I have been using the computer since I was three.

 

My favourite game is the one where you can dress Barbie up. You can even choose the shade of mascara you want Barbie to wear. I have written a story called The Adventure and put it up on the blog. It is about two friends. I type my story on MS Word. I play mobile games too, Bounce is my favourite. I have reached the highest level in the game.

 

Sach Chabria, 8

 

 

I like putting my stories on a blog because I love writing and would like others to read my stories. It is fun to look up pictures to add to my stories.

 

I like the computer. It allows me to keep in touch with my nana in Delhi. I also search the net for stuff like Chess tips and the life of Roald Dahl. I am now teaching my younger sister too. I have made an e-mail address for her, but she keeps telling everybody her password. I asked her not to, but she thinks that if you have to mail her you need to know her password.

 

Aleya, 5, and Divya Dutta Choudhury, 8

 

 

Children are hooked on to gizmos. My two daughters are perpetually fighting for the computer. Children these days spend an enormous amount of time chatting on the net. They hardly play games like hopscotch, like we did when we were young. I am a little worried about the impact this fixation will have on their health.

 

This gizmo addiction has probably got a lot to do with the fact that buildings hardly have any playgrounds. Where do children play if they want to? Also, they are busy through the day with studies and have to look for recreation indoors.

 

 

 

My son is obsessed with his PlayStation. I have to tear him off the machine. When we were touring Europe, I had to snatch the PSP out of his hands. It was so beautiful outside but he was only interested in his game. He seemed to be totally disinterested with anything else.

 

I have to literally force my son to attend his tennis classes. That's the only way I can get him to do any physical activity. The concept of outdoor games doesn't seem to exist anymore.

 

I feel the need to monitor my kids' surfing habits. My daughter spends a lot of time chatting. There's nothing wrong with it but I have to keep a track to ensure she isn't mixing with the wrong kind of people. She may not like it, but I think it's important.

 

 

 

I'm totally at loss. My eight-year-old son knows so much more than I do. I can't compete with his skills. I try to limit his gaming hours. I also monitor the games he buys. I would definitely prefer if he had more interest in outdoor games.

 

Of course, like all boys his age, cricket is his passion. Nowadays, kids are way too fast, I find it difficult to keep up with their constant evolution. The sad part is that I can't share my kid's games with him. I do play games like Scrabble with him, but his car racing leaves me completely clueless.

 

 

 

Kids being tech savvy is a very progressive sign. In fact, the more they know, the better. They can start the computer, find their way on the net and go to their favourite game sites. My elder daughter, Sach, used to play educational games on the computer even before she could read. My younger daughter, Ishika too, is getting the hang of it. If you restrict their time on the Internet, you can ensure that they get their share of simple outdoor fun. It is all part of growing up. We didn't have the technology in our time so we lacked the opportunity, but today it is great that our kids are fortunate enough to have a chance.

 

 

 

I believe you have to be Internet literate. I constantly monitor my children. They use Google to search for information.

 

Blogs are great. The Juhu Junior Writers Blog evolved from my children’s love for reading. Soon, they started writing their own little fairy tales. Putting it up on a blogsite was great fun.

 

First, we put up the story, then we look through images on the net. The kids loved selecting pictures to match their story. This blog will help them widen their horizons and fuel their imagination. In fact, they are planning to upload their pictures as authors of the blog.

 

The Internet is a good learning tool; it is like a huge library. Personally, unless you are addicted to technology, you can balance both. It is upto the parents to draw the line. There is a lot on the Internet, you can't afford to ignore it. But the Internet is like Pandora's Box, you have to be careful.