When I was growing up, my parents had quite a few household guidelines, but the one I resented the most was an absolute ban on watching television or playing video games on weekday evenings. No matter how early I finished my homework or chores, the screen was strictly off limits until Saturday morning.
My parents, especially my mother, were adamant about enforcing this. She believed that weekday evenings should be reserved exclusively for reading, revision, or sitting down for family dinners. If my brother and I even tried turning the telly on, we’d get a firm telling-off and lose our weekend screen privileges altogether. It felt incredibly rigid, and there was simply no room for negotiation.
I hated this rule because it made me feel completely cut off from my classmates. At school, everyone would be buzzing about the latest episode of a popular cartoon or a drama series that had aired the night before, and I had absolutely nothing to contribute to the conversation. I felt quite left out, to be honest. On top of that, after spending hours cooped up in a classroom, I just wanted to unwind with a bit of mindless entertainment rather than being forced to read historical novels.
Looking back on it now, though, my perspective has shifted somewhat. While I still think a complete prohibition was a bit over the top, I have to admit it did instil good habits. It forced me to become an avid reader and encouraged me to pick up hobbies like drawing and playing the guitar. So, even though I loathed the restriction back then, I suppose it gave me a much healthier relationship with technology in the long run.