PANDEMIC WREAKING HAVOC ON KIDS ‘Online schooling frustrates children’
Actor father to 11-year-old twins Katya and Neevan, points out the lack of discipline in study-from-home model. “Things are too relaxed. Kids get up like five minutes before their school time, and just go and sit in front of the laptops. They’re frustrated now. My son told me he’s dying to get back to school,” says Tejwani, sounding extremely concerned about the number of hours the children are spending in front of their devices. “Earlier, they would use laptops only for projects. Now they are in front of their screens almost the entire day,” he says. Actor
whose son, Aryaditya, is in Class eight, says that parents were already dealing with the issue of screen time and it has only increased now. “We can’t even say anything because it’s school work. Now, they don’t step out to play, so they are interacting with friends virtually, too,” he shares.
EXPERT TIP
Most kids are feeling restless, anxious and stressed out. I’ve also seen mild symptoms of depression in some. The way kids tackle this pandemic will affect their personality and thinking patterns for their entire lives. Parents need to have a constant dialogue with kids to understand what they are absorbing from outside, if they have any misconceptions which can be dealt with, time to time. Daily dialogue forms a connection.
The unprecedented situation caused by the Covid-19 crisis in India has kept schools shut for over a year now. While studies have continued remotely via online classroom set-ups, parents are worried about whether this form of education is beneficial in the long run. Many opine that for a certain period, this temporary arrangement was fine, but they admit things can’t go on like this as children’s education is being massively affected.
Due to prolonged home schooling, some parents are also worried about the overall development of their kids, beyond just textbook education.
Actor whose daughter, Areeza, is in grade two, says the education method can only work when the child is doing real-time interaction with their teachers and peers. “That’s not happening now. My daughter is in this crucial stage where it’s important to learn basic life skills. She needs interaction and personality development and for that socialising is very important,” she explains.
Actor adds in agreement that education is not just about gathering information. “It’s also about interacting with other children and your surroundings. If the interaction is not real, then there’s no point. Going to school was a whole ritual. That helps in the overall development of a child. My son used to share food with his classmates. They develop social skills as well,” he says.
With schools being shut, kids are getting limited learning and restricted peer interaction. Physical contact with the outside world, which is critical for their physio-social wellbeing and development, is lacking. They may feel low and confused about the current situation, which can lead to anxiety and it will only increase with exposure to social media.
Actor mother of two boys — Zen (11) and Kai (9), expresses concern that children haven’t been in physical schools for too long. While she agrees that safety of kids is important and they have adapted to online schooling, she adds that they do miss going to school. “Healthcare for everyone and education should be the top priority at the policy level. After this wave, kids must be prioritised, vaccinated and sent back into physical schools — for their own physical and mental health and for the country’s future,” she says.