POSITIVE IMPACTS ON THE MINDSET OF CHILDREN TO THE REJOINING OF SCHOOL

As the world is trying to come out of the damage that the covid-19 pandemic has created;  it is also the time to nurture and cherish what we have.  The most beautiful thing that we all have right now is our children. The way the covid-19 has affected the physical and mental health of the children beyond words. Not only has it damaged the learning but also small pleasures of life that were righteously theirs. The blank playgrounds,classrooms and corridors have been a dreadful sight since the beginning of this pandemic.  As adults we can only imagine  how all this has impacted the way the most cherishable moments of our children have been compromised.  As Shreya, a student puts it “It is like waking up every morning and praying to meet your friends. I feel so tired of this COVID now.! The news of schools opening has not only brought that zeal back but also the excitement to learn and explore. The decreased screen time and engagements at school is also what parents are anxiously looking forward to. 

We can only think about the plight of children sitting at their homes away from their friends. The social circles, jokes, giggles, recess fun and other such memorable tit-bits that they missed during this pandemic.

As the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine, a Consortium of leading Public Health experts have strongly advocated reopening schools. Dr Suneela Garg feels that school should be resumed and also mentioned that losses from closure are beyond recovery. From quantifiable damages like child dropout and screen time damage; children have seen major decline in their social skills  and emotional well-being due to long duration of school shut.  We can not negate the fact that online classes have taken a toll on the learning outcomes and health of our kids. Students are excited to come back to school  and  personal connect of their teachers. 

Indeed the damage is too strong for us to reverse. But what we can do now is to ensure that all the children who come to the school after this duration, are feeling welcomed and safe. They get to see the warmth of the teachers, the fun of learning and the strength of their social circle. Students are also trying to ensure that the time they have lost can be reversed. Let’s now together keep the negative impact of the pandemic  at bay, and let’s work on how we can all together make this coming journey a joyful and happy experience for our children.  Let’s hope we see our children back to being excited to learn, joyful  to mingle and determined enough to take on the challenges of life.