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The world is dealing with a devastating coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on local and global economies. No nation has been spared the effects of the new virus that threatens the existence of our species and deep-seated sociocultural forms.
Blockages, restriction of movement, prohibition of meetings, the need to observe health and safety protocols, including the placement of face masks, have become the new normal. Millions of children do not attend school and parents with little or no teaching experience have to educate their pupils in addition to dealing with their own anxieties.
It goes without saying that these are difficult times for everyone, but for children, these new arrangements can be even more daunting.
Domestic violence
Because children are restricted to their homes, most of them easily become victims of domestic violence. Many children suffer from focal attention disorder (FAD) and leaving them at the mercy of parents who are not professionally trained as teachers is a recipe for some form of abuse. Again, parents who are stressed are more likely to react to their children’s inappropriate behaviors or demands in an abusive way, directly or indirectly. Increased stress levels among parents is often an important predictor of physical abuse and neglect of children, says child psychologist Yo Jackson, Ph.D., associate director of the Child Abuse Solutions Network at Penn State. .
Stress and Depression
For the past two months, school-age children have been forced to separate, their interaction with friends and schoolmates has been abruptly interrupted. This situation is especially difficult for children only, their interactions have been restricted to the adults with whom they live. These sudden changes can lead to depression. We must also not forget that some children are also afraid of the deadly impact of this COVID 19. They are likely to engage in mental fantasies and draw illogical conclusions during this pandemic. For example, they may be thinking about what will become of them when they lose their parents or loved ones to the virus. Are all my friends safe? Am I going to die too? All of these “irrational” thoughts are likely to plague children during this period.
The fate of 2020 WASSCE and BECE candidates is uncertain. This is a confusing situation and without psychological assistance, the preparation of the candidates when new dates are announced may be affected. College students have been forced to participate in online lectures, quizzes, and exams. Even in cities with network challenges abound, the cost of data subscriptions is out of reach for many, especially at a time when job loss has become the order of the day.
Body changes / diseases
Parents should monitor children’s eating habits during this time. Most children are likely to gain weight as a result of mindless eating. Because children are home and less engaged, they tend to eat more, and junk food seems even more appealing right now. If we all lose sight of eating habits, we are likely to see an incidence and an increase in lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
Decreased academic performance
Since the pandemic began, governments and educators around the world have responded calmly, finding innovative ways to keep children learning. Ghana’s learning television channel launched to help educate children in others to compensate for the loss of hours of contact with teachers at school is one such innovation. How useful are these television learning sessions for the many children who go to school and live in arears without televisions or access to electricity? And how do we answer the questions that children with access may have while learning? This situation is likely to contribute to the decrease in children’s academic performance. Parents and guardians are already struggling to keep up with their new forced role as educators.
Acquisition of strange behaviors
Clearly, at this time of ‘house arrest’, surfing the Internet will be the order of the day. Research indicates that the Internet is a new and innovative medium that can completely change people’s lives, as television did in the 1950s and 1960s, according to Kim Yeora’s doctoral thesis on “The impact of the Internet on life Everyday Life “in 2003. Kim argues that the number of children and teens using the Internet is growing rapidly each year. Obviously, children in Ghana today cannot end the Internet. What are they reading and seeing on the internet? Who controls what they read and see on the Internet? I firmly believe that these questions and many others must be asked during this pandemic. Children are likely to be exposed to new and dangerous behaviors if they are not surfing the Internet. Some of these foreign Internet behaviors can have a negative impact on the Ghanaian child’s moral standards, especially during this period.
Recommendation
First of all, I highly recommend that parents and guardians make a conscious effort to keep their stress and anxiety levels as low as possible, especially during this period. According to Damashek, a child psychologist, “anything that reduces stress can reduce the risk of abuse and neglect.” Parents must learn not to project their anger, fury, and disappointment on their pupils after engaging in heated discussions with their partners. They are children and should not be victims of chaos in the home.
In addition, parents who can afford nutritionist services should do so as soon as possible. This will help regulate the eating habits of children and the whole family. Those who cannot afford nutrition services should kindly control the foods their wards eat while waiting for this pandemic to end.
Parents and guardians should help their children participate in cognitive exercises while at home. Cognitive exercises or tests help stimulate the brain and activate it and reduce the chances of memory loss and forgetfulness. Cognitive exercises can be one of the following:
Review children’s homework books and repeat the same homework they were given when they were at school
Give children math questions to solve.
Engage children in discussions that require a lot of thought.
Buy lots of story books for kids to read
Children can use this period to learn how to use the computer effectively and they can also be helped to improve their typing skills.
During this period, parents who perceive that they have good child management skills and who love their children more will be evaluated. Therefore, all parents and guardians must consciously devise a strategy that helps them constantly have the well-being of their children in mind. They should not lose sight of their children. At any time, parents should be aware of what their children are doing.
Internet use is not bad. However, the way it is used can make it devastating. Parents and guardians are encouraged to monitor and control what their children read and watch on the Internet. The authorities and administration of the university should take into account the challenges that students may encounter with online lessons and exams. I recommend a take-home assessment for all students in tertiary institutions. The modules must be posted online for students to read and the assessment must be a take-home type. When students finish, they just have to email assignments to their various teachers. I believe this can dramatically reduce the stress level of students.
Counseling Psychologists and other psychologists should make their services available and free to all school children, families, and college students, especially during this period. This is the period when our services are most needed. We should support national efforts to combat this deadly virus. The media is encouraged to engage the services of psychologists in these difficult times.
Religious teachers who manage children can also help by intermittently monitoring their children about how they are coping with this pandemic at home. I believe that some of these children who will experience some form of abuse can trust their teachers who, if handled well, can improve the condition of those children.
We all have a role to play in making our children feel more comfortable and grow strongly in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Children are the most vulnerable population in this period and must be protected and not ignored. Your interests and concerns must be at the forefront of the discussions, and I hope that all children attending school in Ghana emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever.
Rabbi Darko
(Counseling Psychologist)
[email protected]
