Gone are the days when parents would disconnect cable TV as their child's SSC or HSC exams approached. While ban on TV is still being implemented by people to make sure their children aren't wasting time ahead of the all-important board exams, in today's times, social networking is a bigger worry and distraction.
And keeping that in mind, students themselves have started keeping away from the Internet, for example Facebook and Twitter, and apps, such as WhatsApp, to better focus on their studies. While some have stopped chatting on the popular smartphone messaging app, there are others who, taking a cue from their parents, have decided not to open an account on Facebook.
Eighteen-year-old Revaty Sananfe, who is appearing for her HSC examination, is one of those who is proactively keeping away from WhatsApp. Her parents have also restricted her TV viewing time.
"It's been a month since I used WhatsApp. I have not recharged my mobile phone's Internet connection. The messaging app, I feel, is one of the most distracting things at a time like this. So, I stopped using it to concentrate on my studies as my exams are in February," she said.
Apart from Sananfe, mother of a 16-year-old has decided to lead by example. Amal Samir Mullaji decided against opening a Facebook account to encourage her daughter Simeen from not going on the social networking site too.
"A child is merely a parent's reflection. Most parents are on social networking sites, and that, I believe, is what encourages children to take to them too. My daughter is preparing for her board exams and social networking will hamper her studies and performance. So, I decided not to be on Facebook myself. It has helped me keep her away from it too."
City psychiatrists, too, agreed that social media is a major distraction. Dr Harish Shetty said, "Parents should switch TV and laptops off after 7pm, and phones too should be kept away from bedroom after 10pm. The bright screen affects concentration, it's a problem faced not just by students but every professional who uses phones or laptops for long periods of time."
"But parents shouldn't completely ban the use of phones for their children as they may require WhatsApp to check exam status or to have a little fun with their friends during study breaks," he added.
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