Online classes during the pandemic meant children had legitimate access to their computers for all hours of the day. Given that the digital natives are savvier than most hapless parents, they made the most of this privilege. Parents lamented how the kids were online even they were not studying. I made it mandatory for the camera to be on for video meetings; I refused to accept the staple excuses of not having enough bandwidth. Did that mean they were more attentive? The eye movements often made it evident that I was not the object of the teenager’s attention on screen! And yet, I did not mind as long as they met the deadlines.
My empathy came from the realization of how the pandemic had made it impossible for the kids to do anything outside their homes. And possibly because my offspring no longer belong to the age where I can exercise any control on their timetables, I have become more sympathetic to other people’s children and their pursuits! In an age where so many adult activities take place online – bill payment, recipes, meeting people, shopping, to name a few, it is hard to berate kids for living online. How can you look down on someone’s ‘online hygiene’ when you are guilty of the same?
Currently being caught up in the aftermath of ‘Wordle’, I have no moral authority to judge others, especially children, for wasting their time playing ‘mindless’ games. Who decides that Scrabble, Sudoku, Wordle, etc., are more intellectual activities than the games played by youngsters? I have been sent evidence, by competent authorities (so what if they are young), that their games also lead to developing their faculties. I still think it is ‘fastest finger first!
Addiction of any kind is not a good thing, but calling what someone else plays as ‘mindless’ is hypocrisy. I have tried to play some recent games only to have my offspring exchange glances that do nothing positive for my morale. And who says that adults are not addicted. A sizable tribe of ‘intelligent’ people shares their game-playing prowess daily. I should know. After all, playing Scrabble, Sudoku, Wordle, Quordle, Nerdle, Octordle, Stackle – the list is growing – takes precedence over sleeping on time, daily. My eyes hurt, and I wake up groggy but with a sense of accomplishment!
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