People's Edit
Raising a Pandemic –Hit Generation
Opinion | People's Edit | Tracy Shilshi | 15-May-2021
Even as the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic plays havoc with millions of lives in India, families across the country are already worried about the third wave. Experts have warned that this third wave, which could hit India in September-October, would adversely affect kids – who have been spared to some extent by the virus so far. While the Supreme Court has asked the Centre to come up with a pan-India approach, through a speedy vaccination program for kids and creating a buffer stock of oxygen cylinders, what remains largely ignored is the impact this pandemic is having on our kids’ mental health and educational growth.
It’s been over 14 months since nearly 25 crore students in India have been to school. This includes my two boys, aged 6 & 10. While one terribly misses going to school, the other is more than relieved. But what both mutually dislike are their online classes/lessons. Initially when online lessons started, it was exciting – learning how to manage different apps and manoeuvre through Zoom or Google meets, longer screen time and interesting video lessons. But 6 months on, one could see the handwriting getting sloppier, the online classes being less cheerful, lessons taking forever to complete and bellies getting bigger due to lack of exercise. Over a year into this pandemic, despite trying hard to be a patient parent and a teacher (aren’t we all now?), I’m still having a hard time trying to balance their studies, play time and screen dependency.
Sadly, this is the story across most families. An Economic Times report says that children across the world are lonely, angry and demotivated. ET Reporter Shephali Bhat spoke to child psychologists from 10 countries, including India, the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, Sweden, Lebanon and Nigeria, who say that at least two out of five children are showing symptoms of hyperactivity and sensory issues. And they have directly related these behavioural issues to attending online classes. A big reason for this is that the boring part of school – the classes – are now being held at home, while the fun part – recess, interaction with friends & peers, extracurricular activities, competitions etc. – are non-existent.
Teachers are trying their best with means and methods to make learning fun and interactive, but we can’t ignore the fact that parents (rather, the moms) are now full-time teachers who have to oversee every aspect of the lessons. This additional responsibility along with daily chores and office work make study time a tense one, especially for an already demotivated child. And let’s not forget the impact and pressure online studies are putting on those who can’t afford gadgets or have little or no access to unlimited internet, or can simply not afford being in a school anymore. In January 2021, an Education Ministry directive advised all states to relax detention norms in order to prevent drop-outs in a year when COVID-19 has disrupted educational growth. And this isn’t just an India problem. The United Nations has estimated that almost 24 million school-age children are at risk to drop-out from the educational system due to the pandemic.
So what can we do to ensure children feel less burdened by our current stay-at-home lifestyle? For underprivileged students, the Education Ministry has directed states and schools to ensure door-to-door meetings with students and their parents, provide counselling, distribute worksheets and other supplementary study materials and financial aid for families with girl children. Schools have also been advised to devise remedial learning programmes for those who have fallen behind.
Personally, here are a few things I’m doing to ensure my children don’t face a burnout before their mid-life crisis!
- Not fret about my kids’ screen time. It has hit the roof and may most likely reach the sky. But grumbling about it helps no one. I remind them to take frequent breaks and I’m also monitoring all online activity very carefully.
- Keeping study targets reasonable. I know that almost everyone is struggling, so I just ensure there’s some reading and writing being done every day.
- Using Youtube to my advantage! We’re catching up on Catechism and Sunday School lessons and activities with interesting Bible stories and worship songs.
- Exercise. Again, Youtube has all kinds of workout videos. Be it basic workout exercises, Zumba, dancing or yoga. We do what the boys feel like, atleast 5 times a week.
- Eat well. Even if the kids hate it, they know that immunity-boosting foods are important to fight the virus.
- Talking to our children regularly about the news. It makes them feel less frustrated about their “locked in” situation.
- Schedule regular video-calls/chats with friends and relatives.
- Daily news and worrying about family and loved ones can get overwhelming. So, I take a ‘time-out’ when I need it. A calm parent raises a calm child.
(The Author is a Senior Journalist and can be reached on tracyshilshi@gmail.com. Views expressed are her personal)
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