I refer to the letter by Sheila Self Griffiths (South China Morning Post, June 2), in which she comments on the Tamagotchi toys which have become popular among Hong Kong schoolchildren.
It certainly is sad that children are reduced to caring for a plastic artefact, but I wonder how many of them live in flats where a dog, a cat, a rabbit or a guinea pig would be out of the question, either because pets are forbidden, or because the conditions are totally unsuitable.
I feel that the real sadness is that we have designed homes where children are deprived of ever having the experience of loving or appreciating animals; indeed they lack a whole dimension of feeling for the natural world.
How many of them are able to run on the grass, climb a tree, paddle in a stream? If more and more of our children are to live in high-rise buildings which are built more and more closely together, they will spend their time indoors in passive occupations and their childhood will be missing that vital element - contact with living things and living environments. Perhaps the fact that young people enjoy caring for plastic substitutes shows that they do feel the lack of something in their lives.
Perhaps those who are responsible for creating these conditions might be more aware of these intangible but important considerations.
ANNE MARDEN Shek O