Effect of COVID – 19 on school-age children| What are the additional responsibilities of a mother in this difficult time?

COVID – 19 outbreak is affecting every human and school children too. But adults are able to tackle these problems in a better way as compared to children. Effects of this pandemic and ongoing conditions on school-age children can be numerous. School-age ranges from 6 to 12 years.

This age is that of physical, emotional and mental development. Children want to indulge themselves in learning, playing and enjoying. But due to COVID – 19, they are not able to step outside for the purpose of playing or attending classes. They are not able to go to parks, malls, can’t fulfil their wishes so, it can lead to frustation, which is reflected in their activities.

Moreover, adults are wise enough to understand about COVID – 19 and take sagacious steps to protect themselves from it. School-age children are not mature enough to think and handle intelligently. It is also not possible to hide all matters related to coronavirus from them became they are not so little. Listening so much about the fear of corona and not knowing completely about it can lead to anxiety and depression in children.

Although classroom teaching is replaced by online teaching, but in school, work of teacher is not only to teach but also to check whether they are doing work properly and timely or not. This monitoring by teacher is not possible during these days. So process of learning is not so effective. This can have negative impact on children.

Children were in the habit of spending 7- 8 hours in their school. So, now they may not be knowing how to spent their time. They may find that they have less work to do which can make them lazy and inactive.

Physical activities like playing outside is also necessary for them but now a days, they find it impossible to go outside and play with their friends. It can affect their physical as well as mental health.

So, really number of challenges are faced by them. Thus, responsibility of mother increases a lot. Children are staying at home so, mother has to do the work of teacher, counsellor, advisor, friend and companion.

Mother has to take care about following points-

• She should help child in studies. She should check whether child is able to understand his/ her lessons properly or not. This is work of mother in normal days also but now more attention is needed towards child.
• She should check strictly whether child is completing school work timely or not.
• She should make proper time table of child and ensure that he/she is following the same.
• If possible, in house some space should be provided to child for fun physical activities and entertainment.
• Mother must spend time in enquiring the doubts of child regarding coronavirus. If child ask any question, mother must not ignore and should try to satisfy the child. She must make sure that no doubt is left in his/her mind because it can give rise to pessimism which can have ill effects on child’s mental health.
• She should try herself to give sufficient knowledge to child and try to make his / her thought positive.
• Mother should not allow child to go out and play with friends, not even in nearby area because children don’t know how to take precautions.
• She should allow child to watch television and play online games for 30 minutes because they may be bored at home.
• She should give child immunity booster food to eat.
•  She should prepare child’s favourite dishes at home so that he/she may enjoy food.
•  If child is stubborn and sticks to the wish of going out, mother should not scold him/her. The child is too immature to understand the situation.  Mother should calmly make him/ her understand about the condition.
• If she can teach child any art at home, she should grab this opportunity to do it because in this way, she can polish her talent as well as it can be a good way of enjoyment for both her and child.

Samiya Maqsood

She is pursuing Masters in Agricultural Biosciences from Technical University of Munich, Germany, after completing her Bachelors in Agriculture from India. She did certification course on Coronavirus disease offered by AACC Learning Lab for Laboratory Medicine on NEJM Knowledge+, Washington, DC, U.S.; World health organization (WHO), other courses from Commonwealth of Learning (COL CANADA), IIT Delhi and Kanpur, Nutritional Educational Programmes of Poshan Abhiyan by Ministry of Women and Child Development & Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Nutrition and did numerous internships.