What does "monitoring" mean in simple words?

In simple words, monitoring means watching and checking something regularly to see how it is doing. It is like keeping an eye on something over time instead of just looking once. For example, if you are monitoring your plants, you check them every day to see if they need water or sunlight. If you are monitoring your spending, you look at your expenses often to make sure you are not spending too much. In school, a teacher monitoring students means watching them to make sure they understand and behave well. In hospitals, monitoring a patient means checking their heartbeat and temperature regularly to make sure they are healthy. Monitoring helps you notice changes early, so you can fix small problems before they become big problems. It does not always mean controlling something directly, it means paying attention, collecting information, and being ready to act if something goes wrong. It is a way to stay informed and keep things on track.