Of late : “Teach your daughters how to slap in public and break a leg. Gol Roti can wait.” has gone viral on social media. (In short, it means teach your daughters to be strong in all areas so she can defend herself. Cooking can wait.)
Leaving the chaos of the pandemic alone, the rising cases in girl rapes is increasing day by day. It leaves one to wonder ki Aanewaale saalon mein how life will be? How are we raising our daughters rather How “should” we raise our daughters is the priority thought process of any household in today’s times.
In the meantime, the lockdown has given us opportunities to learn and unleash our potential. Many platforms of online learning have come up with short term and long term courses for kids and adults. Besides academics, art, dance, yoga, Zumba, you name it and it is there. While our kids are introduced to the internet and online mode of learning, we are gradually accepting this new mode. Kids on the other hand are curious of the never ending opportunities to join their favorite class to which they did not have time before due to regular school and time constraints. Not to brand name any, but there are many “Coding” platforms that vouch that your kid will become a Coder in 3 months or 6 months or a year. I being an IT Creative UI head back then had teething issues with programming and coding until I put in hours of effort and learning till I enjoyed making it a part of my UI interface. Till date, I have to agree I haven’t mastered it. There is so much upgrade and innovation every day.
Given the option of becoming a young coder in a short span, many children, as young as 7 years to teens have gone gaga over the advertisements of becoming the youngest coder so quickly. Parents on the other hand are quite happy with this certification. Most of the families have both parents working and their kid joining a class would be more than a relief for an hour or so to avail a little time to themselves. Can’t blame them. It is circumstantial. To each its own. But all of us would agree that you require the correct basics to be able to do complex stuff later. For ex: If I do not know my alphabets and letters, how would I write Or if I didn’t learn my numbers and tables, mathematics would be an impossible task. So I guess Coding too requires basic learning that would go a long way. Most of these courses are quite informative I agree, but there is a ready interface given to them where they pick and drop code. It is as if they are rote learning. As it is generally suggested that teach a child a new language around 12 years so that he can remember, similarly teach him coding at the right age at a right time. Not as a rut of following other parents and friends. Just my inputs.
So looking at the other side of things, when one is choosing an expensive and best coding class for daughters, there are many unfortunate who don’t even get to choose their own life path. In today’s era, the way things are going, why not teach our girls to pursue a skill or hobby, have her voice in making a small decision and encourage values with respect, raising them to be confident and smart, teaching them how to be compassionate and kind.
Coding can surely be pursued as an interest but making sure that the child also learns Real Life Problem Solving and Self Coping Skills first.
Learn the basics of life first. So yes, in this sense, Gol roti can wait.
Be human!
1.10.20