The COVID19 waves have hit everyone hard with devastating effect on physical and psychological health. While some families have suffered fatalities, some have managed to survive but living in fear of the aftermath of the disease. While fortunately, children didn’t suffer physical damage, they were impacted by the lockdown measures taken to curb the spread.
Negative Impacts:
Families falling into poverty –
Due to the corona pandemic, the economy is slow. Repeated lockdowns have resulted in the shutting down of many industries. People who survived on daily wages are left with no income. Children from these families are severely affected as they don’t have adequate food and other primary needs.
Challenges in learning –
Since last year after lockdown, all the schools have been closed. Few schools have started online education. This alternate arrangement may be working for economically sound families. However poor people who are suffering to meet the ends are unable to provide the necessary equipment to their children.
Physical and mental health issues:
While children blossom in the open air and grow up with other children, the lockdown measures have captivated them within the four walls of the house affecting their natural physical activities such as running, cycling and other outdoor games. They entertain themselves using electronic gadgets playing video games, watching movies and immersed in social media activities. Thus, children are deprived of all outdoor physical activities lacking exercise and sunlight, which is the source of D-Vitamin. Due to restricted outdoor activities, children are facing health issues such as obesity, eye strain and headaches.
Below are few tips to help the children to cope up with lockdowns –
a) Parents should talk to children. They should educate the children about the current scenario and tell them why we need to take such immense care in this situation, make them learn how to keep social distance, wearing mask and washing hands and other such safety measures. Maintaining a positive environment helps the child feel secured.
b) Encouraging them to do some physical exercises. Exercises keep both body and mind in good health. Our
traditional systems like yoga not only help to keep good health, it also helps to build strength and stamina which most required in current condition.
Also Read: Menstrual Hygiene: Do you know enough about it?
c) Plan for some activities together like – gardening, cooking or playing. Parents can set up some daily routine and do some activities together with children such as cooking, cleaning. Involving children in house activities make them more responsible. There should be family time that may include activities like playing and gardening.
d) Encourage them to develop new hobbies by attending online hobby classes as there is a lot of free time available to children, it is the perfect time to start some new hobbies. In summary, meaningful engagement of children is the key to keep the children in a healthy state of mind. It can be family or volunteers or NGOs especially in the case of underprivileged children.
