They will never know – Dying Dreams!

I came across two architects arguing on a final draft to present to their client. The two architects who work on a partnership basis were trying to come up with the best designs to show their client for approval. The argument was based on the play ground area. One thought that reducing the play ground area and doubling it as a parking area would be the best plan. The other thought drawing a plan that had a playground and a parking area separate was just the best thing. I agreed with the latter.

In our current society, games are not as engaging, therapeutic and fun as those good gone years. The digital child game is confined to the digital gadgets. This is more common with the urban children.

With the high rise of demand of rental houses, little consideration is taken to leave a space for a play ground in the squeezed city environment. There is rarely any space left for the children in the urban setting to even kick a ball or even play hide and seek. The surroundings of the urban areas are filled with dump sites that are a health hazard to children. Active urban children are confined to their squeezed balconies, sitting or bedrooms as their playgrounds. This posts risks to children since they can break valuable household goods or even play with electrical gadgets common around the house.

Lately, young children are known to suffer from certain complications like obesity and heart related diseases due to under activity. These diseases were characterized with the frail and old in the society. Not everyone can afford taking their children for bouncing castles and other social amenities where children can interact and play as well.

They said too much work and no play makes Jake a dull lad!!They were right. In addition, there is rise in lifestyle and behavioral change with rise in pornography addiction and fashion change among the youth being rampant. This is because most children are confined to their television sets and have been brain washed by the western culture since this is all they got rather than the common open playing fields.

If we all remember very well, those tender ages were adrenaline filled days. We would walk from village to village looking for playmates and engaging in game competitions. We all remember the famous katii, bladder, hill down sliding, swimming in the shallow rivers, hide and seek…..the games were endless!!!

Those childhood games brought us experiences and treasure-able memories. Through the games we knew our weak areas and our strongholds too. We were extroverts at those tender ages. Mothers of our own siblings when our guardians were away. We could tend the farm and the large herds of cattle with ease. Wait, I barely wore shoes in any occasion unless on a family gathering or a church service. Sure, those were good times. Our play was therapeutic; our therapy moment.

Sadly, our children are growing up as introverts. They are confined in their own maze. They barely mingle and when they do we are scared of what party they are interacting with. The digital world has narrowed play to zombieness and coach potatoes.  I’m afraid our children’s dreams will be shattered just as the play fields are shrinking.

Again, what is with the young generation being mute when it comes to expressing themselves in their mother tongue?? Okay, story for another day…