Just a few days back, I was on my way home after a gym session when I spotted a group of girls playing a game of 'Catch'. Although it is a simple game of running and tagging, a sudden thought had struck me. It made me wondered how amazingly time had passed.
 
It used to be my favourite childhood game with my friends, regardless if it is played in the neighbourhood playground, school or even the entire HDB block. The ego of outrunning the ‘catcher’ brings self-satisfaction as you realised how fast you could run.
 
However, there was a deeper thought that got into my mind. I questioned myself, why is it that the present generation are facing social issues. Today’s children are provided with great luxury of smartphones and computers. Their past time are spent through hours of online gaming or watching the television. Yet, little time was spent on mingling with the kids around the block.
 
Social or interpersonal skills are significantly vital to the new generation in developing their character, to becoming a better person in the future. Imagine, the lack of socialising with different people around us will cultivate our characteristics towards an introvert side. Even communications become a less face-to-face interference as we would convey our words via SMS or online messaging.
 
I may not be a parent but I am fully aware that it is a must to allow children to open up to the real world of socialisation. Once in a while, we should stop our present generation from using their IT gadgets to past their time but to interact with the neighbouring kids, to build bonds and develop their interpersonal skills. Moreover, it is always easier to develop one’s character at a young age than the later.
 
A simple game of ‘Catch’ also builds up the children’s fitness. The number of obesity kids in Singapore seemed to be rising. The last time when I was in my secondary school, the number of obese kids in my cohort could be counted using with only my two hands (10 fingers). Yet, a few years after I went back to school, the number of obese kids had grown tremendously. It’s either I had shrank over the years due to aging issues or my eyes were adjusting to the new inventions of HD wide viewing of images. That was the beginning that I acknowledged the phrase “Size does matter”.
 
The recent poll conducted by the media portrays that working adults are facing the problem of gaining weight upon entering the workforce. 3 out of 5 persons would gain an average of 3kg after the first year at work.
 
So, why wait till when your health had reached to the inevitable state. For the adults, its time to kick our butts off the chair and start exercising, may it be soccer or swimming. It allows you to meet new people around you.
 
Even if you don’t make the attempt to do so due to busy work schedules, do stop your child from their online gaming or television programmes, and recommend them to play at the playground once in a while.

Who knows, they might learn to build bonds with new friends and the freedom to roam around through a game of ‘Catch’ will build up their developments of socialising, personal fitness, and the upmost of all; friendship and trust.