MANY AT A TIME

reason to try! By Kalpna Gupta

Technology is serving us with various connections these days. Gone are those days when the sky used to witness the impatient lover waiting for the pigeon to drop by! The trin-trin of the landline phone was another source of excitement when the particular person was called up and brought to the limelight saying- “your call!”Aren’t we missing that curiosity? We title ourselves to be technically advanced. The race is not just to possess a mobile phone but also to be flamboyant if it is expensive. While communicating, we are not just two but many. Today, we all have become multi-tasking and, thus, are in multiple relationships.

Sitting together is seldom between the two people. The beep of our mobile phones keeps reminding us that there is a world outside waiting for us.

Your lover can wait. Can’t she see you are occupied with some work? After all, it is the question to earn ‘Big’ (quotes intended). We have actually divided our affection. It is not just our darling beloved who deserves our time but

‘technical darlings’ (pun intended) are equally worthy.

To express our love and affection, we all have to use our fingers instead of our hand-in-hand gesture. The skin-to-skin affection has been transferred to the chat boxes.

“Loving someone is not a mood. It is a commitment even after your mood changes”- says Jay Shetty, a motivational speaker. I wonder when it was when we ‘loved and ‘committed to someone our love is multi-rooted. We have distributed our limited emotions. It takes one’s time and effort to love someone. The gesture of meeting in person is at the top amongst all others. On contrary, we never meet as a couple anymore.

We have multiplied without getting married. It is the right time, I believe, to update the word ‘couple’ in the oxford dictionary as we are not two who meet but four- ‘main, meri aur humare do phone’. It is difficult here for me to write whether the above mentioned selfcreated phrase is making me happy or worried.

‘What is it that makes our relationship strong?’ is an important question now. The answer is one’s efforts. It is important to meet and spend time together. Mind it, ‘to meet’ is more stressed here. We must have experienced individually that the little efforts make it big. The process, through which we surpass, from leaving our top priority work to making it happen to meet that special one wants counts in the efforts.

While travelling, it is not just the

distance that we cover in kilometers but the bag full of emotions (exciting and happy) travels with us. Is it worth mentioning now that how important it is to acknowledge each other’s efforts? Think about it! School-going children are no longer an exception. They understand the term ‘relationship’ but in a different format. For them, everything has to be digital and technically sound. Then why not relationships? Our children are much more stressed out than us. Their mind is not just going through a mental development process but they are drained out of innocence at much earlier stage.

The age of childhood and adolescence are meant to be a carefree part of our struggle full life. It is full of life and excitement. This age asks for no reason to be happy. Unfortunately, the ‘mobile relationships’ have ‘successfully connected’ to our little champs too. It not only has gifted them with ‘diverted minds’ but also has taught them to be multicentric instead of being unicentric.

After all, the world is just a click away now. Isn’t It.?

Facebook is a social platform. It has connected not only the states but also the countries. A girl sitting in India can have a ‘digital boyfriend ‘sitting in the United States. What is the bottom line of such relationships? Are these fulfilling? Well, we do have exceptions. Love knows no boundaries. Be it caste, age, or country, love flies from chat boxes to video calls. It begins with ‘let us know each other’ and ends at ‘It’s not a match. You will find someone better’. It is mandatory to express oneself. It’s one’s duty to acknowledge that the person is indispensable. Then only we will be able to convert our ‘moody love’ to a ‘committed ‘one.

I wonder what if we had the nonavailability of the connecting wires. Would it have been that easy to ‘move on’? The available options make a difference. One isn’t bound to find solutions to make up for the differences. Rather, it is much easier to start with a new venture. The play store gives us the platform. Where ‘tinder’ allows to date, shaadi.com provides a plethora of profiles to scan and choose according to one’s standardized criteria. We are judged at every step. So is our love. It is Judgmental.

The digital world introduces people with their profiles to each other. To put the cherry on the cake, the beautification apps make the complexion fair in a few seconds. The relationship begins on the grounds of being ‘handsome’ and ‘beautiful’. Where are the words ‘honesty’ and ‘committed’ lost? Do profiles give access to the abstract norms too? I wonder!

It was said that to solidify love, physical intimation is a must. Contrarily, it is topsyturvy now. Sex hits the list of pointers for a relationship to survive. There is no time left for

knowing the partner. The assets are unveiled over mobile phones which forms the base for the first meeting. It is to mention here that certainly sex plays a prominent role in relationships. It is impossible to challenge the source creation of this universe. The question is of the impatience. The technical advancement of mobile phones has made it easy. We can hear and see each other live. The wait is when technology will even replace the meetings- in-person to meetings-inperson on mobile phones themselves.

I have come in touch with my school buddies on Facebook. We revised our teachers whose lectures we used to enjoy a lot. The friend who was a cry baby became the hero of our conversation. A classmate has finally asked for a reunion. You see-many at a time! It became possible only because of technology. Had such platforms not been there, we would never have crossed each other’s paths again. For every single piece of information, we Google it immediately. The e-editions of the print media have made it easy for the readers to carry the newspapers on their mobile phones.

The retired people from jobs are no more limited to parks. They have their office family still on their mobile phones. The home-makers have become chefs as the recipes are right there in their pockets. We have advanced a lot.

Old relationships are suffering a bit. Aren’t they? We are so much engrossed in looking into something ‘new’ that we end up spending major time there. One day, the eyes of my mother stopped on my cellphone. She wanted to talk to me for a while. The ‘digital’ me was unavailable. Is it often that we ask about the well-being of our parents? Or are we busy sending group messages of quotes on our Watsapp status? The choice is still ours! Early to bed is early to rise. The duration of sleep in our day-today life makes us healthy. It affects our mental health. We are confused about prioritizing our choices. We sleep less and have disturbing dreams. The first task we do after getting up and the last before going to bed is the same – checking our mobile phones! We have forgotten to wish ‘good night ‘to our family members. There are walls inside the walls of our bedrooms which are drifting us away moment by moment, day by day.

The pandemic caused by coronavirus has given new meanings to education. It has digitalized the classrooms, students, and the parents. According to the department of telecom, the daily average consumption in this period was 9% higher than 282 PB data used on March 21 (the day the Janta Curfew was announced) and 13% more than March 19 when consumption was 270 PB. The school children have stopped referring to the hard copies of their textbooks. They are learning mathematics online which is a practical subject altogether. Moreover, it has become a one-way communication. The students are asked to keep their accounts on mute and just sit and listen to what the teacher has to say. The passive classrooms have become more of a dictator than the facilitators.

It is high time to rethink our investment plans. Let us invest our time and efforts in our relationships more in person than digitally. It is important to understand that technology can never be a replacement for our friends and family. The personification of our mobile relationships is worth revising.

I wish all of us the sunshine.

when the baby is sleeping. When the breath holding spells last longer or the baby turns blue it is cause for concern a pediatric consult is warranted. ●

MYNEWBORNDAUGHTERPASSEDBLOODFROM HER private parts a few days after delivery. This has alarmed us terribly.

MYNEIGHBOUR’SDAUGHTERHASWHITESPOTSONHER body. Even the hair on the affected areas is white. People say it is a form of leprosy. As she comes over often to play with my daughter I am worried fest she catch the dreadful disease. Please let me know if it is contagious or not.

Your neighbour’s daughter is suffering from vitilgo, also known as leucoderma. This ailment occurs due to the loss of skin pigment called melanin, which is responsible for the normal colour of the skin. It is not at all infectious. You can allow your daughter to play with her without any fear of her contracting the disease.

MYNEWBORNBABYWASFIRSTPASSINGDARKGREENSTOOLS that have later turned watery yellow. How does one know that the stools a newborn is passing are normal?

More than 95% of newborns have their first bowel movement within the first 24 hours. If delayed for longer than that, it needs to be investigated. The motion a baby passes initially is dark green and sticky. This is called meconium, the substance that was inside his intestines when he was in the uterus. From the 3rd – 5th day the stools become watery and greenish yellow. This is called transitional diarrhea and needs no treatment. Thereafter if the child is on formula feeds, the stools tend to be constipated. Those on mother’s milk usually pass ‘breast milk stools’ that are yellowish, curdy, loose and frequent - 6-10 stools a day, in fact a bowel movement with every feed is normal. What could be the cause?

Maternal hormones circulate in the baby’s blood while she is in the uterus. At delivery the sudden withdrawal of these hormones lead to a menstruation like situation which is entirely harmless. It does not require treatment and will not recur. ●

HOWDO I KEEPMYCHILDSAFEDURINGTHESETRYINGDAYS OFCORONA? ✿ Keep your child home. ✿ Teach him the right method of washing hands – front, back, knuckles, between the fingers and thumb for twenty seconds. Everyone in the family should wash their hands as well and often. Soap and water suffices to kill the virus though one can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in case the hands are clean but one has touched a surface that might be contaminated by a person with corona. ✿ Use regular household cleaners or wipes to clean things that get touched a lot (doorknobs, light switches, toys, remote controls, phones, etc.). Do this every day. ✿ Teach everyone in the household to cough and sneeze in the crook of their elbows. ✿ Avoid contact with other people, especially those who are sick.

IHAVE RECENTLY GIVEN BIRTH TO A BEAUTIFUL BABY. I would very much like to know what to expect in the coming year in the way of mental development

IHAVEASEVENMONTHSOLDDAUGHTER. SHEHASJUSTERUPTED her first tooth. As a result she has become cranky and tries to put things in her mouth. I fear for her health as this is unhygienic and may lead to infections. Please tell how to deal with a child’s teething.

The baby may experience some discomfort while teething and becomes fretful. She dribbles, chews her fist and tries to bite on anything she lays her hands on. Try easing her discomfort by rubbing your little finger on her gums. Give her something firm to chew on like a carrot or a clean teething ring. ●

ILIKETOWATCHMYSLEEPINGBABYANDFEELMATERNALLOVEWELL up inside me. Sometimes my baby stops breathing for a while which gets me worried. Should I take him to a the doctor.

The irregular breathing pattern too is normal for babies. He may breathe rapidly after a bout of crying or when he is excited or he may stop breathing for 5-10 seconds and then starts up on his own. This pattern of breathing usually occurs of a child?

The mental milestones of a child are as follows: ✿ 6-8 weeks – smiles, follows objects with his eyes and begins to vocalize. Recognizes you by 8 weeks. ✿ 8-12 weeks - a child can hear sounds and respond to them. He can perceive touch, smell and taste and sees patterns and contrast. At two months he begins cooing and responds to the caregiver. All perceptions become more acute. ✿ 16 weeks - laughs and plays with his hands and feet. ✿ 7 – 9 months - his vision becomes more focused. He can distinguish patterns and visualize all colours.

Hearing improves. Likes being read to. Responds to

‘NO’. ✿ 10-12 months - a child learns to connect meanings with words. He speaks his first words and can also distinguish features. Imitates actions, responds to questions, plays games. ✿ 18 months – the baby can toddle and play. – Dr Amrinder Bajaj, MD.

In today’s technology consumed world, e-waste is a concept that people need to be more aware of. E-waste is an umbrella term used to describe discarded electronic devices whether its laptops, airconditioners, refrigerators, mobiles, televisions, computers, VCRs, stereos, copiers, fax machines or any other digital device or electronic equipment. We have many shows discussing the pros and cons of the latest gadgets being introduced, we have a comparison of the old with new electronic devices; yet there is scarcity of knowledge among the layman, when it comes to the concept of e-waste.

E-waste commonly assumed as digital rubbish is not because the equipment’s stopped performing and therefore are being discarded, the technological advancements are leading people to change devices simply because of upgradation in technology leading the precursors to be rendered outdated. For example: the concept of “smart homes” is encouraging choices where people are vowed to more comfortable living by use of advanced technology which provides many services just by the click of a tab; like the security of the house is in-tacked, switching lights, air-conditioners, etc. and such other luring offers, but has anyone considered the after effects of excessive dependency on digitalization and obsession with upgradation of technology in daily activities.

The rapid ascension of e-waste is a global concern. Most electronics contain high quantity of lead, mercury, cadmium, barium and bromine, etc. which are toxic to the environment when buried; as leaching process damages the soil, the ground water and thus the nearby fresh water bodies are infected too. The result is contamination of crops, livestock and wildlife of the surrounding area.

The crops soak up traces of ewaste during the developing stages and after harvest when we purchase and consume such crops, we unknowingly consume these toxins. Bioaccumulation of such toxins can lead to long-term brain and nerve damage. Also, inhalation of these toxic fumes from their accumulation in soil, air, food not only has negative implications on people and land animals but sea animals also get infected because of them.

Well, e-waste pollution can be controlled; if we collectively implement methodical measures to safeguard our environment from ewaste.

Produce less e-waste: Don’t just jump into the lure of new products. The cost of achieving something is not always in monetary terms. Disturbing the ecosystem will take away more from us than what we realize.

Reuse: Instead of discarding the old, consider donating them, regifting them or selling them for further use by someone else.

Repair: Instead of purchasing a new product, prefer to get the old one repaired. It’s not always costly or impractical. Don’t let the slightest inconvenience prompt you to encourage e-waste.

Proper Collection and Recycling of e-waste: Recycling e-waste is the ultimate option; just make sure you execute it the right way. Recycled metals are more energy efficient. Example: Valuable metals like silver, copper, tin, gold, etc. can be extracted from the circuit boards. Thus, end-of-life handling measures play a vital role in e-waste effect. In order to develop a circular economy, where resources are saved and fed back into the supply chain for reuse it’s essential to be responsible in the process of not just collecting e-waste but also ensuring it reaches the correct authority liable for recycling or dismantling the e-waste.

The technology innovators will continue to expand and create user friendly electric devices designed to make our lives easier in every conceivable way but being susceptible to quickly pitching the machines we already have can cost heavily on our environmental degradation. We as individuals are responsible and thus need to make sure we don’t just keep passing the e-waste liability on the government and instead are responsible ourselves. Dizzying speed of technological advances has no end; it’s a continuous learning and upgrading activity. However, environmental protection should be our priority. We have already exhausted substantial amount of natural resources and can’t afford to waste anymore. Life and ecosystem will sustain on natural resources and not technology, thus being responsible is a great contribution especially as seniors to the future generation. It’s our duty to not convert a blessing into a curse, by recklessly using it.

E-waste is not sufficiently collected and processed in India because of the prevalent patterns of illegally recycling the e-waste along with other wastes by informal waste pickers called kabadiwalas or raddiwalas. This reduces the potential capacity to extract metals from e-waste and also enhances release of toxic pollutants leading to irreversible consequences. Enforcinge-waste legislation remains a challenge because of unawareness among people regarding the consequences of such ignorance. Not only recycling industry needs to be established but implementation regarding collection, disposal and compliance deficits requires attention. There is a great capacity of job generation in this recycling industry but safety of workers needs to be prioritized before-hand. We also need to invest in technology that are cutting edge and can prove beneficial to the e-waste recycling industry, which not only safeguards the workers safety but at the same time enforces an efficient system of collection and disposal of e-waste. The current regulatory framework needs to integrate the informal sector into the overall system and educational programs should be organized to spread awareness among people. We