Author - Jui Purohit.

 "Please shut the eyes and the screens for sometime", I said to the kids. "You are watching the screen since 4 hours now, it's going to strain your eyes", I rolled up my eyes. But kids were unmoved. The pandemic definitely, is making our kids lazy and hooked to the screen. They don't want to go out, exercise, play outdoor games, nor do they want to learn something new. The online classes ain't very educational either. It's not the same as facing your teacher and being present in the class, physically. Moreover attention span of kids is limited and on the top of it, if classes are online, it's tough for them to not get distracted. The YouTubes and like ones, are already a click away, to add to the deflection. I continuously keep telling my kids to take a break, move around, just jump or stretch, or just close their eyes, sit back and relax. Continuous and long exposure to screens, end up with dry eyes. Then kids keep rubbing their eyes, causing mo...

 I asked for a car but was given a doll, They said, it wasn't my call, I had to listen not talk,I  couldn't carelessly run but slowly walk....I wanted a toy gun,But was quickly shun, Go play with utensils,That will sharpen the household skills.... I wished for a book,But in turn was asked to cook, They said, let boys learn,Later, it's them who earn.... Don't laugh and giggle aloud,Be coy, don't be proud, Don't play with boys,Sit at home playing with your toys.... I wanted to wear my choice of dress,But they said I would get harassed, It's better to cover,Than to get discovered.... Let me cut my hair, I beg, Atleast, let me shake a leg,They said, dance is not for girls,And you look good in long curls.... Cricket is my favourite sport,I want to toss tennis balls in court, Skirts and shorts, you can't wear,You're fragile, sun's heat, how can you bear? Girls cannot go on trips,Don't flaunt your hair, put on some clips, Pants are for boys not for ...

 "Even if you try it 100 more times the answer would be the same. There are no flames in here, see, it's showing 'E-ENEMY' in blocks, again", said Geeta. And I was scribbling 'Flames' to make a perfect match with him. I knew somewhere deep in my heart that he didn't like me. He never bothered to ask me how I was, nor greeted me with a smile, for that matter. He smirked and smiled, with his other friends, but he was always cautious of his expressions when it came to me. "Stop wasting pages of your notebook Shweta", Geeta flicked my head. "I want to stop being stupid too. But Iss dil ka kya karun...mei kya karun...mei kya karun!", I said. "Why haven't you tried talking to Gautam? Your 'flames' shows 'A- affection' and that's how things start", I winked at her. Geeta always brushed away Gautam's topic. But I knew that she liked him. I used to rush to school, bicycling hastily, so that I could reach...