It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, the world seemed to be in relax mode…Joy had overslept the night before and had got up late for a change!! So, he called Khushi and said I am getting a few things in my mind and want to write it down so that the thoughts don’t get washed away, which has happened quite often. She gleefully agreed and was in Joy’s house within minutes… Joy had developed a new hobby. He started to write blogs and Khushi helped him out. While Khushi sat at Joy’s study table and Joy started walking to-and-fro. He said whatever came to his mind and Khushi started to jot down. They were gathering thoughts and ideas related to topics that they could write about. Joy: “Isn’t this fascinating? A couple of weeks ago, my parents joked that I spend too much time on the internet, but these days, I find them glued to their phones for almost every activity that they do during the day. Whether its buying grocery, or shopping, or reading or making payments, the internet and allied products have made our way of living very different. In fact, it has become a very important part of our lives.” (Joy walks to his study room’s window and looks at the birds and trees, while Khushi listens to him.) Joy: “The internet is like a coin which has both positive and negative sides. If we use it for positive things, it will have a positive effect on our lives and vice versa.” Khushi: “I love the internet for 3 reasons: It makes it convenient and easy to access information. It has transformed the way people communicate. It’s a completely different way of getting entertainment. All of this is available on a small handheld device, which is always with us” Joy: “I was reading about the concept of food, clothing and shelter being the primary needs of humans not so long ago. And now we have a new entrant in the list… The new “Normal” is Food – Clothing – Shelter and the INTERNET.” Joy stopped and suddenly became quite emotional and wary. Khushi could sense that something was bothering him. Khushi: “Your thoughts are brilliant and we will write our next blog on this topic, but what’s bothering you ? Let’s keep the momentum going”. Joy: “My friend Ayaan is an avid online gamer and he also binge watches shows on various entertainment apps. He has developed a serious medical condition due to this. What started as a 1-2 hours a day habit, developed into wasting the whole day by playing games and watching shows. He doesn’t come to school on time, nor does he study or play. All that he does is that he has junk food like cakes, burgers, chips and french-fries while he wastes the whole day. He spends all of his pocket money on these expenses. He used to be fit, but in the last few months, he has put on so much weight that he looks like he is someone else.” “His parents asked him to mend his ways and do things that are productive, but he gave a def-ear to them. They got annoyed and stopped giving him pocket-money. They are going to take him to a doctor, as this bad habit has led to obesity, which can cause other dreadful diseases at a young age. These days, his dad takes him to a playground so that he develops interest in playing outdoor games and his mom serves him only healthy food. Even they have stopped eating fried food so that Ayaan doesn’t crave for junk. But Ayaan is finding it very difficult to get rid of his bad habits. Yesterday he came home and asked me to lend him a part of my pocket money so that he could buy potato chips. I felt sad for him as he had cravings, but I felt that what his parents were doing was right. I wanted him to be fit again. Therefore I did not lend him the money. Did I do the right thing, Khushi?” Khushi: “Absolutely! Even I would have done the same thing if I were in your place. Moreover, Ayaan’s parents are very good. Though they might seem like they are being strict with him, I appreciate that they are supportive. Even they have stopped eating fried food and junk so that he feels good. I am sure that after a few days, they will give him his pocket money and make sure that he gets to play games online, as well as watch shows, for a little time, everyday. They understand that these things are required, but in a moderation. This way he will be able to complete his homework, attend school, and do everything else on time, without compromising on his hobbies.” Khushi also conceded that she was drawn to the internet for more than what was required and to content that was not good – but it was very difficult to keep away!!! Joy agreed. He said that the internet is like an ocean – there is endless beauty, but it also has lot of risks, like violent storms. In our mind we know what’s not for us or needs to be avoided but fail to hit the exit button … Joy got back – he now knew that with the Power of Internet – there is huge potential for all of us but anyone can easily fall into the trap of overdoing it or getting into the wrong direction. He told his friend Khushi – “Our parents give us pocket money, so that we have money at our disposal when we require it. It is given to us in order to learn how to manage money and not to misuse it. Let’s educate and entertain ourselves right and have the power to say NO to what’s not right.” Author: Nirmal Jain | Nirmal Jain is the Co-Founder at HappyWise Financial Services. He has helped over 100 Families over the last 15 years of his services in the Financial Planning Sector. He has been a mentor to several people to help them better understand investments, stocks, mutual funds, financial planning, personal finance and above all his favorite term “The Power Of Compounding!”. Post navigation Khushi and Joy, Episode 3: “The Money Competition” Khushi and Joy, Episode 5: “The Festival of Money”
