Hyderabad: Parents, jolted by reports of drugs being sold to school students, are looking at ways to keep tabs on their children without sounding intrusive or inquisitive.
But clearly, some parents have a lot to answer for. “Parents should not give huge pocket money and smartphones at a young age. Even if they do, they should keep a close watch on them. Parents may give phones for safety concerns but children may misuse them,” said Mr Chandrajeet Singh a parent from Bowenpally.
Ms Seema Agarwal said if she ever gave pocket money to her kids, she would demand to know how they spent it. “Only parents can help their kids in not getting addicted,” she said.
HPS-Ramanthapur mathematics teacher Padmavati Divakarla said, “Parents must discuss such issues freely with their children so that the child thinks twice before it trying out. Parents must give more time rather than money to their children.”
She said it was loneliness that drove children to experiment. She said, “Travelling, sports and family time play a vital role during the growing years. Parents should try to spend more time with kids and should take them for holidays and should indulge them in sports activities’’.
Ms P. Ushasri, Principal, Johnson Grammar School (CBSE), Nacharam, said, “We cannot totally blame the parents, teachers have to take the responsibility of educating and creating awareness among the children.”
She said parents should not give too much money to their kids, or let them not use smartphones as it makes them vulnerable. “We scrutinise and take credentials while hiring bus drivers but parents should be careful while hiring private drivers. They should hire reliable drivers”. These days many parents say that they are busy due to which they joining them to tuitions, she added.
