A famous ex-president of India had once observed we are very much into collecting foreign products. (It’s almost a kind of craze with us, I guess). He said - Self-respect comes from self-reliance.
I can afford it.What's the big deal?
I was away at work while it was one of those days when my four-year-old wasn’t feeling on top of the world. When my in-laws could no longer handle a cranky grandchild, they had to take resort to a brand new model of a bulldozer (on my suggestion over the phone) kept ready for him in a cupboard stocked in advance with a few toys…..A friend once remarked out of surprise, on seeing me purchasing gifts for my son quite often, “Are you sure you are not getting him too much? It may not be all that good for his creativity, you know.”
..............................................................
A famous ex-president of India had once observed we are very much into collecting foreign products. (It’s almost a kind of craze with us, I guess). He said - Self-respect comes from self-reliance. Often, without batting an eyelid, we shell out thousands for a branded toy that is from a foreign manufacturer, never or rarely sparing a thought for the local toys coming from manufacturers striving to make their mark in this toy industry or like the Channapatta wooden toy makers from our very own India are struggling for survival.
Ever wondered why topics like child obesity, childhood diabetes and reduced academic performance never made it to the news in the past? It’s a pity, but many young children of our city guiltlessly settle for an hour of gadget-time in lieu of an active hour in the midst of friends in fresh air in the park or playground that would do tons of good to their brain and body. What about social skills? Aren’t they getting neglected? What about the lazy hour spent with the toy alone? Or an hour spent before the screen with Nintendos or PS2s&3s? With famous companies investing time for research and money to come up with exorbitantly priced (but highly addictive for the young children of impressionable age) gadgets for today’s rich parents to quickly grab them to give them the feeling “This will keep my child happy,”, the laws of toy-making art has slowly but silently changed – a strong skill that inspired creativity in children has been stolen by the money-making toy manufacturers of today.
And now realization dawns on me when I am reminded of how my father scouted the markets for days to get a wooden toy for my son on his birthday, not falling to the temptation of numerous branded toys made of plastic. Was he trying to pass on a strong message to all of us?
Maybe we could go for a balanced mix of reasonably priced branded toys (that do not encourage long, sluggish hours at home on a chair) and locally made toys that promote the inborn creativity in children and inspire them to come up with better versions of them on their own (with a little bit of science acquired from books and school).
Is it only to appease the child or is it also to feed our ego that we go for pricey toys? “Yes, I can afford it, so what’s the big deal? For the people raising a hue and cry over it, it’s just ‘Grapes our sour’!” and disdainfully we can walk away, shaking our heads at how a storm is being created over a teacup.
After I left work, it took me quite some time to realize I had perhaps been on my way to creating a Frankestein in my own home. I thought it strange that my son still hankered for toys even though I was at home and he got my company. Fact is the damage had already been done! Addiction to toys had already set in, something that I had unwittingly created in him! It took more than a year for some sense to prevail on him.
The rest is in my book Rays and Rains (e-book available at a much lower price).
A trip through Rays and Rains
Reviews
I can afford it.What's the big deal?
I was away at work while it was one of those days when my four-year-old wasn’t feeling on top of the world. When my in-laws could no longer handle a cranky grandchild, they had to take resort to a brand new model of a bulldozer (on my suggestion over the phone) kept ready for him in a cupboard stocked in advance with a few toys…..A friend once remarked out of surprise, on seeing me purchasing gifts for my son quite often, “Are you sure you are not getting him too much? It may not be all that good for his creativity, you know.”
..............................................................
A famous ex-president of India had once observed we are very much into collecting foreign products. (It’s almost a kind of craze with us, I guess). He said - Self-respect comes from self-reliance. Often, without batting an eyelid, we shell out thousands for a branded toy that is from a foreign manufacturer, never or rarely sparing a thought for the local toys coming from manufacturers striving to make their mark in this toy industry or like the Channapatta wooden toy makers from our very own India are struggling for survival.
Ever wondered why topics like child obesity, childhood diabetes and reduced academic performance never made it to the news in the past? It’s a pity, but many young children of our city guiltlessly settle for an hour of gadget-time in lieu of an active hour in the midst of friends in fresh air in the park or playground that would do tons of good to their brain and body. What about social skills? Aren’t they getting neglected? What about the lazy hour spent with the toy alone? Or an hour spent before the screen with Nintendos or PS2s&3s? With famous companies investing time for research and money to come up with exorbitantly priced (but highly addictive for the young children of impressionable age) gadgets for today’s rich parents to quickly grab them to give them the feeling “This will keep my child happy,”, the laws of toy-making art has slowly but silently changed – a strong skill that inspired creativity in children has been stolen by the money-making toy manufacturers of today.
And now realization dawns on me when I am reminded of how my father scouted the markets for days to get a wooden toy for my son on his birthday, not falling to the temptation of numerous branded toys made of plastic. Was he trying to pass on a strong message to all of us?
Maybe we could go for a balanced mix of reasonably priced branded toys (that do not encourage long, sluggish hours at home on a chair) and locally made toys that promote the inborn creativity in children and inspire them to come up with better versions of them on their own (with a little bit of science acquired from books and school).
Is it only to appease the child or is it also to feed our ego that we go for pricey toys? “Yes, I can afford it, so what’s the big deal? For the people raising a hue and cry over it, it’s just ‘Grapes our sour’!” and disdainfully we can walk away, shaking our heads at how a storm is being created over a teacup.
After I left work, it took me quite some time to realize I had perhaps been on my way to creating a Frankestein in my own home. I thought it strange that my son still hankered for toys even though I was at home and he got my company. Fact is the damage had already been done! Addiction to toys had already set in, something that I had unwittingly created in him! It took more than a year for some sense to prevail on him.
The rest is in my book Rays and Rains (e-book available at a much lower price).
A trip through Rays and Rains
Reviews
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