Mysuru:  “Excessive usage of mobile phones and tablets coupled with long hours of viewing television will have a bad impact on the brains of children,” warned Speech and Hearing specialist and theatre artiste Indira Nayar.

She was speaking at the valedictory of ‘Yeleyara Mela’ organised jointly by JSS Mahavidyapeetha and JSS Kalamantapa at JSS Women’s College in Saraswathipuram here recently.

Indira asked parents to spend quality time with their children without allowing them to go after mobile phones. “Elders watching disturbing TV serials in front of children would spoil the latter too eventually. That would affect the development of body and mind of children. Hence parents should exercise extra caution in upbringing of children,’ she advised.

Theatre artiste Mime Ramesh advised parents not to load their aspirations on their children like forcing them to score high marks which could drive children to depression and desperation. He opined that children should be allowed to independently nurture their dreams.

He contended that theatre activity should be included in school curriculum.

The participating kids of the camp spanning 21 days exhibited the talents they had acquired in the camp. A group song ‘Solisabeda Gellisayya’ in different costumes was really alluring.

Camp convenor Chandrashekar and others were present.