An Open Letter to Parents: Education and Child Care in the Times of Coronavirus

COVID-19 has acquired pandemic proportions. It threatens lives in several countries, including India. Schools have shut down. What should parents do to utilise the downtime and equip their children better, suggests Sehar, in an open letter to parents, exclusively for Different Truths. 

Dear Parents,

Today, when I sit to pen down my thoughts, COVID-19 grips my mind. Schools have been shut across many states in India and also the world.

I don’t remember a day of my school life when I didn’t go to school because a virus waited to attack us

I don’t remember a day of my school life when I didnt go to school because a virus waited to attack us.

Schools are one of the institutions that a child closely connects in his or her life.

Today, when I see the news, I wonder what kind of impact will this closure have on the children. Kids might rejoice the fact that they wouldn’t have to get up early for next few days but as time would pass, staying away from school is definitely going to affect their mental and physical well being.

Kids might rejoice the fact that they wouldn’t have to get up early for next few days but as time would pass, staying away from school is definitely going to affect their mental and physical well being.

But here’s what we can do as educators, care givers and guardians to ensure that neither us nor they get overwhelmed with school closures:

• Do not let your child deviate from routine,I am sure a few days of sleeping till late morning would be an attractive option. But a disturbance in their routine and yours shall create problems for you and them. Let them wake up early so that they invest more time in physical health. Send them for a jog, do a bit of yoga or let them cycle. What was earlier a 20 min routine can now be extended.

Let them take care of their personal hygiene — from cutting nails, washing their hair, taking a bath to rubbing themselves dry. What was all done in haste can now be given time.

• Let them take care of their personal hygiene– from cutting nails, washing their hair, taking a bath to rubbing themselves dry. What was all done in haste can now be given time. Instruct, supervise and train.

• Your child can learn a few household chores as well. Let them not get hooked to tablets and phones instead hand them a watercan, a spade or a few pieces of laundry. They might enjoy watering plants,digging the mud, folding clothes or even washing a few dishes. To make this interesting you can add some music to the chore.

Let reading be their best friend – restock your child’s library with books not just story books but picture books, activity books, colouring books and doodle pads.

• Let reading be their best friend – restock your child’s library with books not just story books but picture books,activity books, colouring books and doodle pads. A few newspaper articles may also be added. Let the charm of reading newspapers not die so soon!

• Sit with them over a weekend and create a space in your house,which is done up as per your child’s needs and expectations. A table, a chair, a bean bag, a few books, a few toys with a colourful background; the child will not only invest time in doing up the room but will definitely visit it and spend time.

• While you are at work give your child a day-long project,which you will discuss when you come back. The project doesn’t need to be purely academics, the theme has to be such that it works on their high order thinking skills – they think, reason, decide, choose and put it in a logical sequence.

Brace up their writing skills by discussing interesting pieces they read about and would also like to write about.

• Brace up their writing skills by discussing interesting pieces they read about and would also like to write about. Grab a scrapbook give them sketch pens and let them imagine,create and scribble.
• Get them close to Nature – discuss meal plans,snack plans with them. Eating healthy can be a habit if children are involved in thinking and deciding what needs to be eaten and what shouldn’t be on the plate. How are fruits grown,vegetable grown. If you have space at home get them a seed planter tub and get them growing their own food! A few tomatoes, mint leaves, lemon would give them immense joy to watch it grow and blossom!

There is a cleaning wizard at your home all you need to do is train, involve and reward. Your child’s energy needs to be utilised in the most efficient and fun way.

• There is a cleaning wizard at your home all you need to do is train, involve and reward. Your child’s energy needs to be utilised in the most efficient and fun way. So get them a cloth, switch on the music and dance your way to a clean house.

• Storytelling, some secret sharing and at the end do not forget to share those bedtime stories, childhood memories and the secret you keep tightly tucked -that you love your child.

Having shared all the above, I know it gets a little tough to manage the homefront with children at home, while you are at work. But as care givers and parents it takes a little effort, a little more of exhaustion and loads of smiles and hugs that will make this phase a rewarding time for your family.

Do not let the stress, fear and panic affect your child’s mental health. And to ensure that we need to be calm and energetic.

So walk in the sun, bite into some oranges, wash your hands, eat some nuts, breathe in and exhale all the negativity.

Do not let the stress, fear and panic affect your child’s mental health. And to ensure that we need to be calm and energetic. So walk in the sun, bite into some oranges, wash your hands, eat some nuts, breathe in and exhale all the negativity.

Here’s to bright sunny days and a safe world!

Yours Sincerely,

Educator, Trainer and Writer

Photo from the Internet