Challenging times for children during COVID-19
The stress and the impact of COVID-19 is not only on the children but also on the parents (particularly working parents) who are faced with the additional burden of providing home schooling. There are also concerns that the children are not able to play, and while interaction with school friends and teachers is an essential part of education, this is also not happening.
These were among many issues raised at a recent virtual discussion organised by the Sunday Times Business Club (STBC) on the topic “Impact of COVID-19 on children and their (working) parents”.
The panelists were Prof. Shehan Williams, Prof of Psychiatry at the Kelaniya University Medical Faculty and Dr. Ravimal Galappaththi, Consultant Psychiatrist, Army Hospital Colombo.
Prof. Williams indicated that in Sri Lanka there are two professions that need no training or qualification — becoming a politician and to be a parent. But he said that parenting children is vitally important in the development of the ‘child’.
He expressed that one goes through parenting without any training though the children spend a lot of time in schools. The number one most important role they play in life is parenting for parents.
On parenting they need to ponder regularly to go into the whole situation and they need to really think about their children and even grandchildren. He said: “Our kids can benefit, not only by the current educational system, but also from the past as well.”
He said that there are children who are brilliant and at the same time there are children who are sometimes, even with the best of efforts, difficult to manage and they are a challenge.
He said the pandemic is seen to be prevalent in society for a long time. While the children do not go to school, they sit in front of the computer screen for a long time taking online classes but find it difficult to concentrate for long periods. The children who have the attention deficiency disorder would find it doubly difficult.
He said that in the virtual world, it is online lessons which is what the schools are trying to do. The teacher is important and what the teacher can provide, but he said that the teachers do not provide in today’s context the necessary inputs to the child as there is no schooling. The most important aspect in the school is peer interaction. In schools children learn to socialize.
During the pandemic while parents have more time working from home they should allocate ‘quality time’ with their children by interacting with them and helping them to develop and have discussions with them.
Reflecting on a situation where children are constantly on the computer playing games etc, he said children below the age of 16 should not be given smart phones, until they pass or complete their ‘O’ Levels. Modern schools should teach the proper use and abuse of smart phones.
Dr. Galappaththi said that in extreme situations children could get frustrated as they do not have inhibitions when they are young and these danger signals should be acknowledged by parents.
He pointed out that the parents need to be very mindful of giving quality time to their children to avoid frustrations by children who have to stay at home and not even play at times.
He said: “We need to fully involve children in parents’ conversations etc. Parents have a large responsibility and seeking the help of a doctor in managing difficult children in seeking to change their behavioural patterns is not the solution.”
The online participants posed substantial queries and the expert panel offered fruitful information which enabled a lively discussion.