Childrens Pastimes Today And Yesterday Essay Sample

In the last few decades, children’s involvement in spontaneous activities and play has diminished because of many factors. Some of these factors are popularity of television shows, computer and video games, parent’s fear about their child’s safety outdoors and shortage of quality play spaces near homes. The differences between the children’s pastimes today and yesterday are pronounced and deserve thorough and rigorous investigation.
Today children spend most of their free time indoors, watching television, playing video games and surfing internet. They go out for scheduled events only. In the last one decade, there has been a huge decline in the outdoor activities such as biking, swimming, fishing, playing, etc. The changes due to the increased indoor activities are evident in the children’s bodies and brains. The sedentary lifestyle of the modern-age children affects their physical and mental health adversely. A large proportion of population between 6 and 13 years is obese and over-weight. They have shorter attentions spans. Since, the present generation is ‘not interested in getting dirty’ during outdoor play, they are not exposed to germs that are actually good for their health. As a result, they have reduced immunity and are less muscular. They face chronic backache and neck problems due to extensive sitting in front of computers or TV. They find it difficult to concentrate for more than an hour. On the contrary, the previous generation did not face any such problems. Because of their outdoor activities, they were strong and had stamina.
Increasing number of television channels and shows are a major factor for the children to prefer home as compared to outdoors. However, this was not the case with the previous generation. Children used to spend only a fraction of their time in watching programs broadcasted for them. In the present societal setting, children have lost their interest in reading and writing. In earlier days, children used library as a resource; however, owing to the advent and dissemination of internet facilities they are computer-struck.
It is not only the lure of television and video games that is keeping the children home, parents are also reluctant to let their children roam in heavy traffic and with increasing reports of missing children. However, two decades back the roadsides were free and safe for the children to roam. Back then, children used to enjoy the local pool or swimming hole to cool off, but now the air-conditioned houses have stolen this outing opportunity of the young children. They no longer wish to climb trees and chase butterflies. This is partly because the parents think that their children are safer in front of the video game in the next room. Overall, children are watched over more as opposed to olden days due pedophiles and other similar issues. Therefore, they are not as free now as they used to be once.
Previously, children used to help their parents in daily households. They knew how to cook, sew, wash dishes, etc. However, today’s children are not able to balance between their school, merry time and house work. This is partly because their parents do not give them responsibility for household work. A few decades back, children used to spend their leisure time with their grandparents listening to their stories and religious parables. However, owing to the nuclear family set ups in the present times, children do not get to see their grandparents very often. When their parents are out for work, today’s children have no choice left but to stick with TV or computers. The joint family setup of the olden days allowed the children to mix with other children of their age and make merry together.
However, an advantage of the present social setting is that the children may go for their own interests and hobbies. In the present scenario, the parents are ready to bear the expenses of their child’s dance, swimming, guitar or karate classes. This allows the child to excel in a particular field than to be a jack of all traits.
Overall, there has been a dramatic shift in the children’s pastimes today and yesterday. In the present society, children are missing out on the joys of curious childhood and are not availing the learning opportunities of free play and natural exploration. As compared to the earlier generations, today the children are rushed too rapidly into the rigors of adulthood and are deprived of the excitement and social interactions of a healthy childhood.