Surveying parents :
The idea was to understand the psychology and the schedule of children from parent’s point of view. In childhood the upbringing and the restriction of parent’s does affect child’s behavior and interest. For eg. It is very easy for children to get attracted to electronic medias for a longer period. But that could be reduced if parents get strict and ask them to follow some discipline.
Findings :
1) The parents said, they do play outdoor games, but only cricket and football. Badminton and tennis is also played but less as compared to these games.
2) After coming back from school they have a lot of homework to do as the schools at a lot of places have made weekly test schedule. So everyday getting time for outdoor games is not possible. And if yes then they prefer to use it for their favorite game like badminton, cricket, football etc.
3) Children also love to go to sports clubs nearby their area where they are made to play different sport’s activity. The reasons of children going to sports club are :
a) Many a times, children do not find their age group friends around in their society.
b) If they have friends, then they might not get free at the same time.
c) If they have, then have to follow the majority’s choice which may or may not be what they want to play. (to avoid isolation)
d) Many a times, their friend’s choice affects their choice. For eg. Their children might get interested in learning squash after getting good reviews from friends.
e) They find it interesting to play in proper courts, having guidance i.e. the coach.
f) Maximum time the games that are chosen by today’s generation children to play in clubs are :
- Cricket
- Football
- Lawn tennis
- Table tennis
- Volley ball
- Basket ball
- Badminton
- Swimming
- P.S.P games
- Other indoor games. That is the reason all the clubs also prefer keeping the games which are in and liked by the users.
g) Playing all these games adds to their status symbol.
h) Earlier there used to be joint families, where the chain of passing on the culture from one generation to other was always maintained as it had different generations staying under a roof. But now MIGRATION has taken place. People are shifting wherever they have opportunities. So nuclear families have taken up the space.
i) In an average, children take 2 hours for using computer, television and playing on I pads/ Video games.
j) Parent’s make children watch some important programs on television like crime petrol, Discovery channel which will add on to their knowledge and make them understand the world outside in a better way.
k) Even computers are very important for children as they use it for assignments, internet helps them gain a lot of knowledge about anything they want to know.
l) So, the usage of television and computer cannot be compromised for anything.
m) Parents even make them join some classes of other activities like karate/ art and craft/ dance etc. which might be of some use in future.
n) Children always try to play games which is of today’s time, as they like to go with time.
o) The lack of place in the building compound and the grounds being far from their place is the basic and most faced reason in Bombay for not playing these outdoor games.
p) They play only what they see others playing, and traditional games are jus nowhere to be seen outside these days.
q) Yes, they should be encouraged for playing Indian tradition games as that would make them be attached to their culture.
Indian Traditional Games 