Nikita lived in a big, close-knit family with his mum, dad and his younger sister. The boy was in Year Two at school, and his sister Dasha went to kindy. Nikita had heaps of mates, and often, after coming home from school, he'd chuck his bag down and race off to play with them. The boys played footy, went fishing, and were really active and full of beans. Then one day, Nikita's dad brought home a big bag, but said he'd only open it when the whole family was home.
Evening came, and Nikita looked at his father with anticipation and said:
Dad, you haven't forgotten about that bag you brought home this arvo, have you?
No, of course not. I'll show you what I bought right now.
Dad replied with a smile and disappeared into the room.
A few minutes later, Dad called out:
All set! Everyone can come in now.
Nikita and his sister raced each other to see what interesting thing Dad had bought them. And there, hardly believing their eyes, the kids saw a brand-new, beaut, modern computer that they'd been dreaming about for ages.
Right, this is our new mate. Now you'll be able to watch cartoons, play computer games, and learn heaps of new and interesting stuff using the internet. But let's set some ground rules straight away, kids. You can only sit at the computer for a short time, no more than an hour a day, otherwise I'm taking it back to the shop.
Dad said.
The kids were over the moon about the purchase.
Nikita rushed to the phone and started ringing his mates to share his excitement:
G'day, Tony, Dad bought me a computer! Come over to mine and we'll have a go.
The boy rang all his mates to show off his new toy.
A week passed. Every day, Nikita would come home from school and, as usual, chuck his bag down, but he no longer ran off to play footy with his mates outside. Without washing his hands, without taking off his jacket, and without having lunch, he'd race to the computer to start playing his favourite game or watch another cartoon. Nikita's dad worked long hours, so he'd come home late and couldn't always see how his son spent his time after school. Mum kept telling the boy that he couldn't spend so much time on the computer, but her words fell on deaf ears.
Nikita, stop playing on that computer! Go have your lunch after school, then sit down and do your homework.
Mum said to her son.
Mum, I'll just play a tiny bit more, then I'll do my homework.
The boy replied, staying glued to the computer every time.
Nikita's mates kept playing footy in the yard, riding their bikes and going fishing, but the boy wasn't interested in anything except his new mate – the computer. Nikita's marks got worse, and his classmates stopped hanging out with him altogether.
Then one day, when Nikita came home from school as usual and sat down at the computer, he suddenly felt his eyes really hurting. What's more, for some reason his vision seemed worse.
What's happening to me?
Nikita wondered.
Could what Mum and Dad said actually be true? Can computers really wreck your eyesight?
The boy puzzled over it.
It was a ripper day outside, and Nikita suddenly remembered his mates, with whom he used to have such a good time. So the boy decided to take a break and go outside for a bit with his friends.
Stepping outside, Nikita called out:
Oi, boys, how about we go for a ride on our bikes? Or maybe have a game of footy?
But the boys looked at him, pretended not to hear, and kept playing amongst themselves, without Nikita.
Tony, Paul, can't you hear me?
Nikita asked.
Oh, we can hear you alright! We just don't want to play with you anymore. You've got a new mate – your computer – so go hang out with that. We'll go fishing, ride our bikes and play footy without you.
Upset, Nikita went home, thinking to himself:
Well, I don't need them to play with me. I'll manage without them somehow. I'll just sit at my favourite computer and play, and I don't need anyone else.
The boy sat down at the computer desk and started battling tanks again.
Suddenly, little Dasha ran in and called out:
Nikita, look at the beautiful dress Mum made me! It's so bright that everyone will be able to spot me from miles away, and they'll all be jealous!
Oh, Dasha, it's not bright at all, it's really dull and hard to see.
The boy replied.
What do you mean? Can't you see? It's yellow, like the sun, and I look like a flower in it!
You're having me on, sis! It's completely plain, sort of pale and not bright at all.
Then Nikita looked at the fish tank that had been in his and his sister's room for ages. Before, the fish had been bright – yellow and red – but now the boy's vision was blurry, and he couldn't work out which fish was which.
He rushed to his mum and said:
Mum, Mum, our fish look really pale. What's happened to them?
Nothing's happened to the fish, love. It's because you've been sitting at the computer for so long that your eyes are really tired, and your vision's got worse.
Mum replied.
Right then, Nikita decided he'd never spend ages at the computer again. He got scared that he'd never see the green, beautiful grass, the bright yellow sun and the blue sky again. He ran outside and went to find his mates.
Sorry, boys, I'll never swap you for a computer again. It wrecks kids' eyesight, and because of it I nearly lost my best mates.
The boys forgave Nikita, and everything was right again. The boy only occasionally sat at the computer to look up something for school or have a quick game. His schoolwork improved, his mates started coming round again to play footy or go fishing. And the fish in the tank were bright and beautiful once more.
