The Editor, Sir:

I WRITE to you with a lot of grief in my heart for our Jamaican children. We have created a society which is no longer cognisant of the fact that they are powerful beings. Instead, the focus is on showing what you can be now that you have the opportunity to.

Jamaica is a beautiful country but, at the rate, we are going, how much of this will we be able to preserve? Psychologists say children enter the world with a blank mind, so whatever these minds develop into or become, we are responsible.

I remember one day having a conversation with one of my former lecturers, comparing good old days to modern one. He proudly stated that he was socialised by the home, school and church, but today's children are media socialised. I tried to prove him wrong, but deep inside I knew he was correct.

Deprived

Many of our children today are deprived of the good old Anancy stories, ring games, hop scotch, dandy shandy and all the other wonderful ways parents used to pass on value and attitudes to their children. Nobody teaches patriotism (the flag should not touch the ground) values (when you find something try to find the owner ) and attitudes (say hello to everyone you pass on the street).

Our children spend a lot of time learning from the different media, so as my grandmother used to say "there are many ways to kill a dog". Use the media to pass on what we fail so miserably to do.

May I draw your attention to one such medium - local television. Some parents ensure that their children capitalise on general knowledge, so they insist that their children watch the news.

Now Mr Editor, when children hear their parents pointing them to the news, they must be laughing and asking the question, 'What is this our parents are exposing us to?'

I am, etc.,

Vashnie Gayle

gaylevt@yahoo.com