Ibrahim Badawood Al-Jazirah In my opinion, those who are affected mainly by the technological advancement and breathtaking developments in the current world are parents. In the past, obtaining an education was difficult but it has become more difficult at present in the light of fast developments in the field of information technology. There is a dire need to redefine the concept of education in this context. It is no longer useful for us to utilize the same means which our fathers and forefathers used in the field of education. Nowadays, fathers and mothers have to embrace the new tools of technology to help their children in their quest to acquire education. A few years ago, a local Arabic daily published a report about the suicide of a 12-year-old boy. The reason was that the boy had asked his father to buy him an electronic gadget to play games. The boy threatened to commit suicide if his father did not give him what he wanted. When the father did not buy him the toy, the child hanged himself with a rope tied to the ceiling of his room. This is a painful story for each and every parent. In the past, as children, we didn't even know the meaning of the word suicide, and how to hang oneself. But today, with the fast developments in information technology, we see ourselves facing a reality with which we cannot interact in a positive way. It is not ideal for parents to be unaware of what is happening to their children who are buffeted by technology that produces such electronic devices as mobiles, television and computers full of games. In the past, children had simpler social interaction than the children of today who are exposed to a much wider interaction called social networking. Now, they have their own e-mail accounts and social networking sites. Hence, we should no longer interact with them as our parents used to do with us. We have to be diligent to catch up and adjust to the new culture. It is imperative for us parents to make concerted efforts to improve our relationship and rapport with our children in an untraditional way but still sticking to fundamental religious and cultural principles. It is unwise for us to show niggardliness in paying attention to our children for whom we are making all efforts and hard work in life. The first and foremost thing that we have to take into consideration in raising our children is to instill a sense of confidence in them and reinforce it as they mature. Following up the conduct of our children does not mean monitoring them which may prove difficult these days as we are not in a position to chase them everywhere. We must be wary and alert but cautious and not intruding. It is also essential for us parents to implant in the minds of our children correct ideas and ideals in keeping with the sublime Islamic teachings and lofty values to keep them from being overwhelmed by the negative influences of the modern technological advancement.
