‘When kids are inside internet shop’

By: Dr. Peter Paul C. Cubay

Have you ever visited internet cafes around?

If not, try to have sneak peek on what is happening inside and you will instantly
get a high blood pressure beyond what your body can tolerate.

Early in the morning, I went to the nearby internet café just to photocopy certain
documents. I started out my day with a happy mood as I found nothing to be upset for.
As I took my entry to the main door, what ruined my day was something I could not
believe.
A group of young kids, ages 7-10 whom I presumed as elementary graders
caught my attention. They never noticed my presence as they were too busy playing
games online almost throwing the keyboard out of extreme excitement paired with
anxiety and lose of temper.

I just observed them while waiting for the attendant to get done photocopying my
documents. The noise grew louder as the kids shouted to one another with foul words
you never believe they could say at their tender young age. Such words like, peste,
yawa, inatay, and the like. In silence, I said to myself these kids must have needed
counseling from the adults. I feel disappointed watching them acting like little demons
hurling evil spells with each other.

While standing close to them, I found myself in rage seeing the entire rudeness
of the kids. But never did I stop them from doing so as I found no strength and force to
do it. I left the café with a sigh of disgust and disappointment. I am a teacher but I never
did even a little to reprimand those kids from uttering blunt words.

At home, I packed my thought back to the scene I witnessed before my very

eyes. I came to the point of retrospecting my yesteryears when I was like their age. Did I
also do the same during my time? If I did it back my time, what else would happen to
me knowing that my parents were too strict who wanted nothing but to make me
upright?

Neither do I know whom to be blamed for such an act unbecoming to a child. I

am greatly upset of the children who acted so rudely as if they were in their own homes.
They never mind if there were adults inside as long as they could shout so loud
expressing their anger and excitement while in the middle of the game.

First, I pointed the café as the culprit of the loathsome scene. If it did not operate,
these kids would never have a place to stay for games. If they only stayed at home,
their parents could have asked them to help the household chores where they become
more productive. If they were at home, they could have done their modules and get
better marks.
 On the flip side, I also understand the café who simply wanted to earn for a living.
I admit internet café could be a good business nowadays since its services are needed
by the community as we are now in the period of technology. If earning means creating
a bad impact to the kid’s behavior, could it be fair?

The internet café should never be a place that fosters undesirable attitude among
the young. Rather, this place shall help the kids work on their educational needs, such
as printing, photocopying, researching, and the like. It seems that some operators, if not
all, do not mind what these kids are behaving inside.

Well…if they could not simply regulate what is something not acceptable
behavior among kids, their existence is deemed detrimental to the lives of the young.
There is nothing wrong with venturing online gaming business as it goes with the trend
of the generation, however, they should also do something to lessen its negative impact
to the growth and development of the young kids. They should never be insensitive to
hear the irritating voices of kids uttering foul expression inside the premise of their
cafes. It is not something to be just ignored as this mere happening may lead to serious
consequences in the later part of the kid’s life.

I believe that the ordinances of the local community are clear. It is just that
operators do not tighten their regulation as far as entry of students is concern. It is not
an excuse that since we are in the pandemic, and face to face classes are on hold,
children are just allowed to loiter with their peers and end up their way on the cafes.

Moreover, the parents shall also intensify their monitoring and discipline to their
kids. Giving them complete freedom to go out from the house as they want does not
help the kids at all. I don’t mean they have to keep their kids inside their homes, but at
least they will limit their exposure outside with other kids.

Whether parents know very well their kids in and out, they shall be more vigilant
to their kids’ behavior state. While they are young, they have to be shaped better so
they will grow in accordance to what is ideal and right. With right parenting, no kids will
lose their way.

If kids are left in the custody of their loveones, distance relatives or unrelated to
them by blood, they shall too see their great responsibility of guiding the kids on the
right path. By checking who with their kids are and what kind of friends they have,
parents can have better sense of understanding on the kind of life their kids are as of
the moment.

This may sound trivial to talk about but will lead to devastating outcome if
unaddressed. No wonder why we have presence of juvenile delinquency because it
starts from a little problem on the child’s behavior until it elevates to higher form that
culminates to commission of crime. This idea is not far off to what seems to be evident
on the real happening today relative to child’s criminal acts. Besides the bad influence
that each child may acquire from going with peers who are playing games on the café,
these innocent kids will turn to be a problem of the society.
Playing games at once, twice and more results to sever addiction. How many
kids have you heard quitting their study because of addiction to online games? Perhaps,
not just one or two but more than what you can count. For we all we know addiction
does not only lead to health hazard but so with attitude. To suffice their addiction, kids
may resort to stealing just to continue gaming online. Worse, they may end up having a
shattered life.
If only all of us would seriously work together for the welfare of the children, the
unfortunate plight of our young could have been prevented.

Hoping we can learn to be aware of our roles and responsibilities rather than by
just observing things and never do any action at all.