I didn't tune in to this year's National Day Rally (okay, i never have.. i just yahoo! news it or read summaries) because I was working but read tweets and recaps of it online. There were quite a few points that made me snort with derision and I know I still lack contextual knowledge but what I know now is still enough for me to make a judgement.

The first point that I retweeted (because I thought that they are important (to me at least)) from @YahooSG:
1. Mix of pre-school operators will give diversity, choice to parents BUT to parents, please let your children have their childhood! 
My part-time job gives me the opportunity to interact with kids and there have been many times where I've been so disappointed with the kid of childhood they have. This obviously isn't just a result of the choices parents make - innovation, development, increasing urbanization and the growing pervasiveness of technology and new media are also important reasons why most kids in developed countries are just like 'little adults'.  They've lost the innocence they should have when they are handed these objects that even adults have problems resisting. And kids know the basic commercial value of these items that they flaunt it (albeit a little too extensively). I've had so many 7-12 year olds stick their iPhones 4 / iPads in my face that my initial annoyance has now been replaced with numbness.

It always bugs me when i see a kid having their own iPhone.. but I guess the iPhone is just the better version of our gameboy from back then. In the sense that kids these days don't enjoy a childhood that isn't peppered with technology is something that's hard for parents to avoid.. they could but it would really mean strict restrictions and not giving their child what most other kids have, and that might cause more problems (feelings of inadequacy, jealousy etc.) in the short run.

Just yesterday, a boy in the group I was leading said that he only has a Nokia phone because his parents think that it's better for his character development. The good ol Nokia that took our generation by storm. The sturdy and hard-shelled cellphone that could give a person a concussion. THE pioneering efficient and well-designed mobile phone. I just looked at him and said "Your parents are doing the right thing."

I know it's contradicting since I am more or less addicted to my iPhone and social media.. but I remember a life back then where I looked more at what was around me than what was behind a small plastic screen (okay... obviously we watched tv too lol). And I appreciate that my childhood wasn't invaded by such devices to the extent it has today. IT WAS, but not as much as it has now.

My opinion is that when you are given such devices at an age where you are better able to understand and later control (okay TRY TO CONTROL) the effect it has on you, you won't be as distracted from the tangible things around you. Kids need to interact with the physical world, not with an electronic device that has the world in it because it's not enough, so parents have to 1. exert more control on exposure to such products and 2. know that a kid shouldn't be handed such items until they are at a suitable age.



I know that they are many flaws in what I've just said.. and honestly this wasn't supposed to be my end point but I digress way too easily (starting to think i have ADHD!) and my thoughts seem to be all over the place... still, it's better to be writing these thoughts down and reflecting on them than to have them locked up in my little head, right? :D