Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Live
INCREASED SCREEN TIME IS A WORRY
While many parents refrain from telling the truth about the pandemic to their kids, some feel being open helps them understand the situation and think rationally.
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
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 innteraction with their teachers and peers. “TThat’s not happening now. My daughter is inn this crucial stage where it’s important to whose son, leearn basic life skills. She needs interaction Aryaditya, is in Class and personality development and for that eight, says that parents soocialising is very important,” she explains. were already dealing Actor adds in Samairra (8), about germs, the with the issue of screen agreement that education is not just virus and explained to her how it time and it has only about gathering information. “It’s also spreads. Slowly, she understood increased now. “We can’t about interacting with other children and the pandemic. There are times even say anything your surroundings. If the interaction is not when, just like adults, a child, too, because it’s school work. reeal, then there’s no point. Going to would say that they miss friends Now, they don’t step out scchool was a whole ritual. That helps in or they want to go out to play, but to play, so they are thhe overall development of a child. My Actor says, I think children are the most interacting with friends soon used to share food with his clw son “My Ranbir, kids (daughter 13) have Rasha, been quite 16, and virtually, too,” he shares. well,” he says. flexible. Times are difficult but lassmates. They develop social skills as they’ve learned to adapt well.” understanding and have not once shown a sign of anxiety yet. We have conversations about what is happening around, and they are dealing with the circumstances well. Together, we end up having a lot of fun and have kept our sanity well. Children adjust well to situations.”
Actor shares, “It’s not easy but since the initial days last year, I taught my daughter,
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.
EXPERT TIP o
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.