Parenting is probably the most difficult and selfless job in the world. Although being a parent is the biggest joy anyone can feel, it does come with its own pros and cons.
It is a journey filled with amazing rewards and challenges that parents are faced with at each stage of the child’s growth..
We decided to speak to a few Puneites to understand the concerns and pressures that they face, in this phase of their life.
Meena Manral, a finance associate in a city-based company, says, “It’s very difficult to cope up with today’s generation. Children are very active on social media and other applications.
“There are so many online sites that are fraudulent. You never know when a site opens to an adult website. We try everything from our end to keep our children safe. We have activated child mode on all our phones and even on the desktops.
“I try to keep an eye on my children’s activities and talk to them the maximum I can. I always tell them to discuss every possible thing with me be it of school, the person they met or anything else.
“I even warned them about the Blue Whale Challenge and its consequences. Nowadays, it’s nothing private so it’s always better to keep a track on your child,” she adds.
“When we were small, we loved to play outdoor games. My mother used to scold me for staying outside but now I force my son to leave the cell phone and play outside,” says
Sanjay Kharadey, a professor in Pune.
“He keeps on installing games on our mobiles and is stuck to it 24×7. I eventually had to admit him in a sports academy so that he stays outside, away from the screen and stays physically and mentally fit.
We even have fixed a screen time for him only when he can play games or watch television or surf on the internet.”
Maneka Patil, a home maker, feels that parents feel under pressure to not fail their children.
“I am just a tenth grader, soon after which I got married. With too much technology bombarding us, it’s a challenge to stay updated,” she says.
“I have recently started using Whatsapp but somewhere I feel my children feel let-down because of my lack of knowledge about the social media applications. When I ask them about any technicalities or how to use Facebook, they seem disgusted.
“My younger son always complains that his friend’s mother is his Facebook friend and she drives her son to school every day. I feel it’s more pressure on parents these days to adjust according to their child and be socially active and a smart,” she adds.
Obviously, no parent is perfect. The important thing is to understand the child and be able to respond to his or her unique personality and enjoy the roller-coaster ride of being a responsible parent..
#Respondent names changed to protect individual privacy. All views expressed in this article are those of the respondents.
Reach her at loveleen@pune365.com or tweet @KaurKaur18
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