Pandemic !! Stay Indoors !! Maintain Social Distancing !!
Disruption In Daily Routine !!
Life came to a full stop. Suddenly no schools, no offices, no going out, no meeting friends and family- overnight everything stopped. Now stay indoors, maintain social distancing, wear a mask, online schooling, work from home. Since the lockdown, the world has come to a standstill, and so have the lives of children.
Parents are scared to send the kids out. I remember when we were growing up, we used to be out playing all day and our parents used to scream and get angry at us for that. Now parents have no option but to keep their little ones inside the house for their safety and to protect them from a virus which has shaken the entire world. Being a mother of two I am myself scared to let the kids venture out. So yes, I have house arrested my children, the ones who weren’t used to staying home now have to stay for not sure how many days, weeks or months.
These closed doors and boundaries have become an integral part of their lives, for few locking themselves up in their rooms for weeks, refusing to take shower, eat, or leave their beds, continuously being on their gadgets was a new normal and new routine. With this kind of new normal children started experiencing loneliness, worry, anxiety, depression, types of fear such as fear of dying, fear of catching the virus, fear of staying alone, fear of not meeting their friends and family, disruptive behaviour problems. The internal chaos they are experiencing is getting projected onto those living with them. There has also been a rise in sexual, physical and emotional abuse on the children leading to a great amount of damage and distress. Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and vulnerability started creeping in, which shattered their self-esteem and confidence.
So now the biggest question is How do we help them cope and cater to their psychological, physical
and emotional needs?
The most important tool of all is being Empathetic and Patient towards their Psychological and emotional needs. Each kid is struggling to cope and adjust to this new normal in their own ways or the ways in which they think they are most psychologically, physically and emotionally comfortable with. Just a listening ear and an understanding heart can make a lot of difference in their lives. Taking their feelings and emotions seriously means winning half the battle for them. Reassuring them that they are safe and providing them with the correct information can help them deal with this difficult and stressful time. Connecting with friends and family virtually through so many social platforms can uplift their moods and help understand that everyone is going through the same the struggle which will give them a sense of security and not overwhelm them.
At last taking care of yourself is also important because children do better when their parents are better. Seek professional help if children have emotions or behaviours that are intense, persistent, or
don’t respond to the usual interventions.
About the Author – MS. Neha Jain is a full-time counsellor and clinical psychologist. also a certified life skill’s trainer with proven experience. she also committed to empowering individuals and enabling them to make informed decisions. she is also trained in yogic counselling, art therapy, behavior modification program, behavior therapy for students, marriage counselling. she is a highly-skilled, compassionate, empathetic professional dedicated to providing exceptional care and understanding to people in distress.
