Children need to be taught self confidence

Children need to be taught self confidence

I think while making Barbie a more real and friendly toy is probably a good goal, the bigger problem is the poor self-esteem that comes from a wide range of influences (‘For the world’s most scrutinised body, Barbie has a new look’, Gulf News, January 30). Everything affects self-esteem — from comparing siblings to the fashion industry, too many magazines, peer approval, bullying and family dynamics.

It has often confused me why schools teach things like auto shop and home economics, but no one has any type of course or camp for self-esteem. Many children have confidence issues. I have seen this just within the group that my son plays in. He is 11 years old and has friends from 10 to 12 years old. These children worry about approval for everything — from grades, to looks, hair, body shape, strength and popularity.

One little girl is so shy. Her mother has forced her into beauty pageants all her life and while she is stunning, she very rarely wins because she’s not comfortable in that role. Around my house, she just wants to be a tomboy, climb trees, get dirty and run around.

I think there needs to be more comprehensive education for these children, to know that who they are is perfect. My son is bugging me all the time to get him a weight set, but I just don’t think an 11 year old should be body building. Running, swimming, bike riding, obstacle courses are fine, but weights and protein shakes at that age? No.

From Mr John Saf David

UAE

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Making ends meet

I find education in the UAE to be quite expensive and the rent is often shockingly high (‘Ministerial retreat to begin on Saturday’, Gulf News, January 30). People are worried about falling sick because of medical prices, and the jobs and salaries do not sustain the level of expense. As an Asian, I struggle just to send children to a school, pay rent, travel to work and eat.

From Ms Ana Fatima

UAE

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A good system

In the UAE, jobs and salaries depend on education and qualifications. No one can blame the authorities for these things because they treat us very well. I find that the rules here are very good and each company provides medical insurance. It just means you don’t need to pay more for your health.

From Mr Muneer Moolakkal

Dubai

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God bless them

I salute the rulers for their vision and great leadership. God bless them.

From Mr Baboo Gandhi

UAE

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Paying for a paperless world

With the advent of the computer and then the internet, two routine habits of human beings have started to disappear. One is writing and the other is reading, which were part of day-to-day life at one point. The conventional way of writing with a pen and paper has been replaced with keyboards. Reading from books now happens on computer screens. I think what we have lost during this transition is creativity and the ability of retention. Actually, reading from books keeps our minds calm, increases concentration and induces sleepiness. Online reading keeps our eyes and minds strained and can even cause insomnia.

We can see the outcome of this, on account of the lack of reading and writing. More people now have poor handwriting and low memory. We are paying a heavy price for a paperless world.

Thankfully, some people have the habit of reading the print newspaper and they set aside some time exclusively from their busy schedule for this.

From Mr Girish R. Edathitta

Dubai

Excellent athleticism

It was a dream day for Indian sports fans as Sania Mirza won the Australian doubles match and made three-in-a-row Grand Slam titles (‘Treble joy for doubles duo’, Gulf News January 30). Both India’s men and women’s cricket teams, too, won the T-20 series against the mighty World Champion team, Australia — that too in their home ground!

It was a real clinical performance by both cricket teams. We are sure, they will keep up this tempo and confidence, and win the Sydney match to sweep the series. This also augurs well for the ensuing T-20 World Cup in India.

From Ms Janaki Mahadevan

Mylapore, India

Not helping his cause

Scorching revelations about the solar scam have made Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s political life miserable (‘Protests spreads in Kerala for CM’s resignation’, Gulf News, January 30). He was questioned by the judicial commission for 14 hours, which is a big shame for him. It is said that there must have been a lot of suspicion, since he ended up resigning and facing the judicial inquiry. Kicking off a political storm, Saritha S. Nair said that Chandy was paid two large instalments. The Chief Minister has dismissed the allegations and said that Nair’s claims are baseless. It shows that he is not going to resign. He is placing nails into his own coffin. I feel Kerala is going to see days of unrest because of this.

From Mr Sunny Joseph Mala

Kerala, India

Facebook time needs limits

Facebook, undoubtedly, has bridged the gap between societies, but it has also become a medium for cyber criminals to target their victims (‘Facebook debate: The face of social media, 12 years hence’, Gulf News, January 31). It has the power to bring about a positive change, but it also has been misused to spread rumours and false news. Facebook has truly transformed our lives in recent years. It has seen more people coming on board to connect with their loved ones. It has had a major impact on our lives - emotionally, professionally, as well as socially.

When we talk of emotional change, Facebook has become a platform for loners to make new friends, for attention-seekers to get more likes and compliments, and for being in contact with those away from us. But professionally, it has made us lazy and less productive. The approach to work has entirely changed due to increased reliance on Facebook. These days, the trend of sending out emails is fading and being replaced by posts and updates.

While Facebook has made connectivity easier than ever, it has also adversely affected relationships. People are rapidly losing their human touch due to it. These days, celebratory and congratulatory messages, and other sentiments, are posted on Facebook, thus the personal touch and emotions are lost. Our ever-increasing dependence on virtual sites is causing our real life relationships to suffer and this is why we need to limit the time we spend online. Instead, let’s devote it toward making our bonds stronger with our family and friends.

From Ms Fatima Suhail

Sharjah

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