In a way children are the worst sufferers in this more than a year pandemic induced crises. One, their inability to understand the crises yet practically facing it, is a burden on their fragile minds. Two, they have lost all lively interactions as the schools are closed, and they can’t go for any outings. Three, they are exposed to a new way of learning suddenly. Four, they are bound to live in the company of their parents round the clock, and this is psychologically challenging for them. These are the problems that pertain to our children directly. For a year they have been facing it and this has brought a disruption in the way they would otherwise imagine and execute their relations with the outer world. Now when we had given a chance to schooling to operate in an in-person mode, an upsurge in covid cases once again made the government close the schools. So the window of opportunity for the children to resume their interactions with teachers and classmates is once again shut. Even if they cannot communicate it properly they do express the disturbance through their behaviour. Over and above there are some indirect problems that these children face.
The pressure brought to the family by this pandemic reflects in the behaviour of the parents in every way possible. This is more true in case of the families whose economy has taken a severe hit. The turbulence in the family adversely affects the interaction of the elders with the younger ones. This brings stress to the overall homely atmosphere. In such a situation it is the job of experts to educate parents and teachers to take care of the innocent minds, and pure hearts, of the children. One day these crises will be over, but if scares are inflicted to the psyche of our children that can be a long term loss. To avoid such a loss we need to create a lively atmosphere in the family, and create ways for our children to play, and thus unburden. The schools that manage online education these day also need to be mindful of this aspect of children’s psyche.