Is Swiggy Really Your Amma And Uber Your Appa?

A recent message ‘Swiggy is my Amma and Uber is my Appa’ is doing the rounds on social media and whatsapp. The message criticises these new age apps for spoiling kids.

This message going around claims that because of these apps, Gen Y kids don’t value their parents anymore. For them, parents have become just money vending machines and the sense of togetherness and patience is also lost. Anything you wish for is just a click away and nobody needs to wait.

While most of us are getting emotional with this criticism and swear to get back to our roots and ‘Maa ke haath ka khana’, I was quite disappointed with it. I am not trying to be an irrational rebel here, but just think over it!

How many times have you thanked Swiggy for delivering food to you when you are going through severe cramps in your tummy? Or on the days when you were sick and didn’t want the kids to make do with just bread butter? Our moms never had this luxury and I am sure, if they had, they would have loved to avail of it and enjoy it. Not everyday, but yes, once in a while I love to click and order.

Uber is one of the safest and the most convenient means of travel for all age groups. I remember how my dad used to escort me to tuition classes and back home even at 8 PM because of the fear the newspapers instilled in them. Because, for those 3 hours, my parents couldn’t relax for even a second and with an uncanny feeling settling in them, they were always anxious for my safety. Today with the luxury of Uber and the location sharing facility, they can track me anytime, anywhere without raising their pulses.

So friends, technology is not the sole one to be blamed for the eroding values of adjustment and patience. I know mothers who cook at odd hours just to satiate their children’s irrational desires. Isn’t she shying away from teaching the kid patience and the fact that one should eat with everybody, at proper meal times? There are also homes where 2-3 types of vegetables are cooked and customised as per each member’s taste. Isn’t that demeaning the family value of adjustment and one meal for all?

Patience is not taught by depriving the kids of facilities and luxuries. It is taught by following the same oneself. Before introducing the kids to the latest technology and handing over the mobile to them, it is important to make them understand responsibility. It is the responsibility of parents to inculcate the qualities of adjustment, accommodation and appreciation in our kids.

Never miss real stories from India's women.

Register Now

Once in a while, we can order the same food for the whole family and make them respect each other’s choices. We can even deny them a few times before giving in to their requests. It is all about how we make the best use of technology and drive our kids through it. It is all about how we contribute to this evolution positively and guide our kids along. Empower them with righteousness and make them learn to separate the best from the worst. Spend some quality time with your kids and you will see how they develop an appreciate for technology and learn to use the best from it.

First published here.

Image via Pixabay

Comments