Adjusting To The world, Getting Locked Down And Reopening To A New World
Growing up in the fastest-changing decades has not been easy for the popularly called Gen-Z. Children have always struggled to cope with the stressful and competitive environment, even before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The pandemic provided the perfect condition for mental health disorders among children, shrinking their world to just a few square feet filled with all the evil catalysts. They have witnessed so much suffering and ambiguity that no child should have been through. Those, especially the school-going ones, have developed stress due to a radical change in their daily routine, the anxiety of their parents and close ones, heightened domestic violence, being away from peers and loved ones, and little or no access to recreational or physical activities. These factors have not only exposed children to an emotional tragedy, but a large number of them are also at a high risk of neglect and abuse.
Data released by UNESCO states that in India, between 2020-21, more than 286 million children up to Class 6 were out of school. In 2021, UNICEF made an assessment that found only 60% of students could access digital education during the pandemic and many were not be able to continue their education.
After almost two years, schools, caregivers and families are getting ready to host children in a changing world, a new world of masked facial expressions that once helped them communicate their feelings, an uncertain world of health risks and social distancing.
Although children adapt faster, new strategies applied to protect their physical health might make frequent transitions and add up to mental health. Making this new transition might be more challenging for children, families and schools. But with proper planning, robust connections and the right support, children can adjust to this new world, learn and thrive.
What We Can Do
Caregivers, including parents and teachers, can be trained to identify the primary signs and symptoms of mental challenges, which can then be treated by a professional with proper intervention. We must start providing support and awareness to young people and create an inclusive environment, apart from providing direct treatment to the adults. It is also easier to develop life habits and perspectives at a young age than at adulthood.
The cause of anxiety and depression in some children is not yet known, where many factors may impact, including biology and temperament. But it is obvious that exposure to trauma, stress, bullying and rejection, parental anxiety or depression can develop anxiety and depression in some children. Here, society plays a vital role in mitigating these factors.
How Parents And Caregivers Can Help
Parents are at the frontline of mental and physical healthcare. They nurture, teach, provide support and create an environment for the children. Parenting can be complicated and challenging at times, especially without sufficient resources. But the best way parents can prepare their children is with proper support and training.
Society usually suggests only mothers or female caregivers as the primary person responsible for the children’s health. But a recent study found that fathers and male caregivers have equal connections and dependency on the overall mental health of a child.
Some simple and easy initiatives that parents and caregivers can take are:
- Give the children opportunities to talk about their situations, and encourage them to share concerns and ask questions.
- Allow children to be with their parents or other trusted adults who can make them feel safe, calm and connected, and give them a sense of hope.
- Limit exposure to digital social media, limit and supervise overuse of digital screens.
- Talk to teachers and other peers or adults who observe the children in different situations out of the home.
- Communicate openly and honestly with the children.
- Spend time with them and share activities.
- Stay calm in intense situations; talking in a calm voice can reassure the children that parents/caregivers would not leave them in any condition and develop the confidence to share information about all events.
What Schools Can Do
Schools are the place where children spend the largest share of their childhood after home. They also learn and develop most of their relationships, habits, skills and interests in school. Schools are the best place to identify, educate and support mental health status.
Early identification is crucial to get the right help that is needed. Schools can work with parents and professionals and get technical support to manage the mental health of their students in the best way possible.
There can be specific ways teachers and school authorities help the children:
- Train staff to identify and better handle the situations.
- Work with parents/guardians, mental health professionals, and technical support to create an inclusive and readily communicable environment.
- Link students to mental health services.
- Support staff’s mental health.
- Integrate social-emotional learning.
- Maintain a good teacher-student ratio.
- Balance academic and recreational activities.
Youth can be a gamechanger. People who have passed their childhood in recent years can bring in a lot of help to their successive population. They can talk to the younger ones more openly, share their experiences and listen to the children. There is a role for everyone in supporting children’s mental health, and empathy is the key.
The least we can do is show empathy for others in every situation. This acts as first aid for mental health problems. People from all age groups or communities can support, promote and create a healthy environment for the children in their little ways. The world will rise again as it has always been and this time, we can make this a happier one.