Some Thoughts About Children

One day, my aunt and I were talking about dolls which is produced by PTMI, the company where I'm working now. The dolls are distributed out from Indonesia. Even in here you will find dolls which are produced in Indonesia, the quantity is not as many as the export one. Then, at that time we concluded that the dolls are not so happening here.

Then, we were thinking about what I will tell you next. If the dolls are not happening in Indonesia, then what toy does girls in Indonesia always play with? Cooking set toys? Nope. I think children at this time, including girls, like to play computer games or other electronic games like PS3, XBox, etc. rather than games or toys that can make them interact with each other. That's not a good sign.

Here is my opinion about why it can be happened? First, electronic games are much more interactive than dolls. Playing with electronic games gives the player feedbacks, so that the players can then act based on those feedbacks. When children plays with dolls, the dolls can't give them that kind of feedback. A doll is a passive toy.

Second, a doll's price is sometimes as worth as 3 times dishes, even more than that. Why is the price so high? It can be happened because of some reasons, like the making process complexity (now I can imagine since I work in a doll manufacturer) and the distribution cost (especially when the dolls are imported).

Third, the residence where the children are living doesn't provide any place to play with each other. What I mean here is like a play court, where children can meet with each other and then play together. Rather than making a play court, the developers like to build shopping centre. Okay, sometimes there's a place like "Timezone", but it's definitely NOT a play court in a right definition (the phrase "right definition" doesn't sound good, anybody can help?).

Is this condition good for the children psychology? My aunt said NO, it's not. Children need to interact with each other. They need to learn to be with others, learn about someone else character, learn how their acts can give impacts to others, and many more. Others will give them feedbacks, so they can improve their action while interacting with each other in the next days.

So, what are the solutions? First, I think this is primary, all parents have to encourage their children to play with other children. It's okay if the children like to play with electronic games too, but sometimes they need to play with others. Take the children out to any play court, so they can meet another children and play together.

Second, for all developers, please kindly help these children. Build more play courts for them. It doesn't have to be a big one, but not too small too. And it doesn't have to be too many, but at least there's one play court in one residence.

Hope this post won't be just a post. Perhaps you, readers, have another perspectives. Please feel free to give some feedbacks.

A Little Conversation in A Restaurant

One day, when I was in a restaurant with my friend, Alfa, a boy worn a torn t-shirt and a dirty white short came to our table.

The boy upturned his hand and said, "Pity me..".

As usual, Alfa and I wave our hand as a sign of not wanting to give the boy our money. Fortunately, he urged us to give him a little money.

As a result, Alfa asked the boy while his finger pointed at the empty chair in front of him, "Would you care to sit with us here?".

Without long thoughts, the boy sat directly on tha chair pointed. His eyes were looking at his surroundings.

Read Alfa thoughts, I asked the boy his name, "What's you name, Kid?"

"Imam," the boy answered without looking at me nor Alfa.

"Hi, Imam!" I said to him. "Would you like to eat something?"

The boy didn't answer. He was still looking around, like someone being confused of something.

Alfa then called the waiter, "Sir, may we have another fried noodle for this boy?"

"Certainly," answered the waiter with a confusing look on his face.

The waiter then yelled at another waiter to bring the fried noodle to our table. Fortunately the food was ready to be served, so Imam didn't have to wait for too long.

While we were eating, Alfa and I had a little conversation with Imam.

Alfa : "So Imam, do you go to school?"

Imam : "Yes, every morning."

Me : "What grade are you?"

Imam : (scratching his head) "3th grade."

Alfa : "Why are you asking for someone else pity? Upturn your hand and hoping people to give you some money?"

Imam : (increasing his voice a little) "'Cause I don't like you two who have enough money even to buy me a plate of fried noodle. My Dad passed away a year ago. After that, my mom has to work, usually overtime, to get some money for me my little brother, so that we can go to school."

Me : (giving an angry look to Alfa) "We're sorry, Imam. We didn't mean to hurt your feeling."

Imam : (almost standing from his chair, angry) "Ah..! Then don't be. I know that most of the rich people like you two never care with people like me."

Me : (holding Imam's left hand) "Wait, Imam. We're really sorry."

Imam : (sitting again on his chair, continuing to eat his fried noodle) "Okay.."

There was a silent for a moment. Alfa and I took this moment to look closer at Imam, trying to read what's on his mind.

Imam : "My mom's earning can only make only myself go to school. So, I have to help her to pay for my brother's school activity. Walking around my neighborhood and pity myself to gain some money."

Alfa : "What do your mother do for living?"

Imam : (smiling to us) "She's a teacher."

Actually, the conversation was very long that I can't put it in here 'cause it will make you all feel bored. At the end, we did give him some money (big enough than the nominal we used to give to other poor people). Instead of making this post become longer and longer, there are things that I want to underline.

First, do we really care for our brothers and sisters, the same Indonesian people who perhaps not as lucky as we are? Honestly, I was surprised when Imam accused Alfa and I for not being that care to people like them. Okay, we feel pity when they ask us to give them money, but then what? What can we do to change their life? (Actually this question is for myself too.)

Second, do we do something wrong when we refuse to give some money to them when they ask for it? I know that the government gives us instruction not to give them some money. But in some cases, they do really need it at that time.

I leave the questions without being answered. It's you, dear readers, who really know what should we do on these matters.