Category: Digital Parenting & Child Safety

Not ‘Mazaaq’: Bullying & Cyberbullying in Pakistan, How It Hurts Our Students and What Schools Can Do Better

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

There’s a moment many teachers recognise. A student who used to raise their hand is now sitting quietly. A confident child begins asking, ‘May I go to the washroom?’ as soon as group work starts. Someone’s attendance slips from Monday to Wednesday, then a full week. When you finally ask, softly, ‘Kya masla hai?’ you often get the same answer: ‘Nothing, miss/sir. Bas… aise hi.’

In our schools across Pakistan, bullying rarely arrives as a clear headline. It shows up like a fog: small comments, private jokes, class WhatsApp groups, a nickname that becomes a label, a photo edited and shared, a voice note forwarded ‘for fun.’ The child keeps going to school, but something inside them stops feeling safe.

And that’s the real issue: bullying isn’t only about a bad moment. It’s about a student’s sense of safety, belonging, and izzat.

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Nomophobia: Understanding the Rising Digital Addiction Among Students

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

How parents and teachers can help children balance their digital lives

Have you ever seen your teen panic when their phone battery dies or when there’s no Wi-Fi signal? Recently, I came across a research article on ResearchGate that introduced me to the term “Nomophobia.” To my surprise, it perfectly described a growing issue I often observe among students: an emotional dependence on their mobile phones. Among high school and college students, what’s the one thing they can’t seem to live without? You guessed it, their mobile phones. In fact, research shows that many adolescents would rather lose a pinky finger than their cell phone! This bizarre attachment has led to a growing number of students who prefer texting or tweeting instead of face-to-face conversations.

This irrational fear of being without a mobile phone is called Nomophobia, a short form for “no-mobile-phone phobia.” It’s the fear of being disconnected, whether because of a low battery, no signal, or simply leaving the phone behind.

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Why Parents Need to Be Aware of What Content Their Child Is Browsing

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

The Role of Parents in Keeping Their Child Digitally Safe and Secure

Yesterday, I received a call from one of my students’ mothers. Her question was simple yet deeply significant: “Should I allow my 15-year-old to have a cellphone?” She explained her concerns that teenagers often spend all their free time glued to their screens, and worse, that her child might stumble upon inappropriate or harmful content online. Her voice carried both love and fear, emotions that every parent today can relate to.

In today’s digital world, these concerns are not exaggerated. Children have easy access to thousands of websites and social media platforms. Whether through smartphones, tablets, or laptops, the internet is now deeply intertwined with how they learn, communicate, and express themselves, especially after the pandemic’s shift toward virtual learning.

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